Mana Flow
by Teefa and Co
Summary: SlayersLoM w others. You only need to know about Slayers though. While searching in an ancient temple, Lina and Gourry are teleported to Fa'Diel, and must save the world. LG.
1. Quest For a New Sword

Quest For A New Sword  
  
Lina Inverse looked over the dense foliage covering the old temple. It told the sorceress that the building had been abandoned for about 2,000 years at the least. Usually these ancient ruins held some items of power. Maybe she and Gourry would find the object of their search - - the legendary swords Dragon's Breath, and Dragon's Claw.  
  
Ever since Gourry had parted with the Sword of Light six months back, the duo had been searching for a replacement - - as well as Lina's usual treasure hunts and bandit raids. When Lina had returned home after an urgent letter from her sister told her that her father was sick, she had learned of the two swords while searching for the one herb that would save his life. Somehow, she had managed to get the herb back to her father and leave town with the info without Luna finding out. L-Sama only knows what would happen if Luna found her planning to defile some ancient temples in order to get them.  
  
Armed with the knowledge of the existence of those two swords, the Sorceress Supreme and the Genius Swordsman - - ironic title given Gourry's mental ability or lack there of - - went searching for their location. Lina had decided early on to try for several ancient temples, and Gourry had just followed her lead. It was always best to listen to her in these situations.  
  
Now they were traversing this ancient temple that was hidden in the woods in the northern part of Seyruun. Vines covered the door, sealing it shut. More of them were found all over different parts of the temple's walls. They were so long, that they covered the area from a group of trees next to the temple, all the way back to the entrance to the forest - - running along the ground for the most part.  
  
'If Amelia was here, ten to one she'd trip at least ten times trying to run ahead,' Lina thought. She picked up her sword and walked over to the temple's door. "Gourry, get your sword out. We need to cut through these vines or the door will never open."  
  
The brainless swordsman followed his friend's lead. It was either that or get Fireballed, and besides, he needed to find a new magic sword. He felt more comfortable with one of those than a regular sword - - attributing to his years wielding The Sword of Light.  
  
After a few minutes, the adventurers had cut through all of the vines on the door. Lina pushed it open, and ran inside. She began searching around the room in order to find whatever treasure she could. Gourry just walked in after her, and began to help out.  
  
"Hey Lina?" he asked, "What do these swords look like anyway? And where in the temple would they be kept? Are they going to be in this room?"  
  
Lina began counting to ten in order to conserve her magic by not Fireballing him. Finally, she said, "One, I don't know what they look like. Two, I guess they'd be locked up somewhere. And Three, no they won't be in the main chamber. They might as well be out of any protective cases with a big sign over them saying 'Please steal me'."  
  
"How was I supposed to know?" inquired Gourry.  
  
Lina was about to say, "Common sense," but then remembered that Gourry didn't have any. It was any wonder he had survived on his journey before meeting her. She then found a donation box that had been thrown from the wall somehow. The gold coins that were in it had been strewn over the floor as a result, and Lina couldn't resist taking them.  
  
"Lina," whined Gourry, "Can we just move on? I'm sure the gold isn't going anywhere."  
  
Lina's eyes suddenly acquired a glint that could only mean one thing. "Fireball," she yelled, sending the spell strait at Gourry. He was instantly charred, and fell down. "We'll go on when I say that I am ready. Just busy yourself counting cracks in the wall or something."  
  
* * *  
  
As they traveled through the temple, they saw many treasures. Most were gold coins that probably were supposed to go to the upkeep of the building. But Lina also spied precious gems and a few magical artifacts as well. For each room they entered, it took a good fifteen minutes for her to raid the whole place before they could move on.  
  
Gourry was getting pretty bored at the whole thing. He took Lina's advice and counted cracks in the wall. But even that got boring after awhile. And he didn't dare tell Lina - - she'd probably get angry enough to skip the Fireball and go strait to the Dragon Slave.  
  
Finally, they arrived at the last room in the temple. It was most likely the chambers of the High Priest or whoever was in charge. Lina deduced this by all the fancy - - albeit ruined - - clothes that were strewn around the room. Also everything from the sheets on the bed to the style of rug on the floor just screamed out money and power.  
  
"Lina, what do you suppose these are?" asked Gourry, pointing to a pair of sword cases.  
  
"That must be them!" Lina exclaimed, "Gourry, these swords must be the Dragon's Breath and Dragon's Claw. 'Forged with a platinum colored metal and refined with the scales, breath, and blood of a dragon'. They fit the description in the book completely."  
  
She took out her sword and began to cut at the rotting wood on the first box, as Gourry did the same thing to the second one. The sword inside was light enough to be wielded with just one hand, yet it still radiated power. On the hilt was a beautiful ruby that had stood the test of time. Gourry's sword was two handed like The Sword of Light was, with a sapphire on its hilt.  
  
Lina stated, "Now that we've gotten all the treasure, there's no point in sticking around. Let's go back to town and have a victory banquet."  
  
But they didn't get very far. Suddenly, a red light enveloped the duo as a strange presence made itself known. Gourry began to panic and grabbed onto Lina's chest. Surprisingly, he wasn't immediately Dragon Slaved or even Fireballed. That was because Lina had fainted from the power covering them. Gourry soon found his eyes begin to close, and he fell backwards with Lina still in his arms.  
  
- - - -  
  
This is just the first chapter in this little epic. It'll probably be long- seeing as I have over 60 events to attend to. The part about Gourry counting cracks in the wall is based off a punishment my Math teacher used on this kid in my class, she made him count the little holes in the ceiling tiles in order to shut him up. Little romance in future chaps. Warning, I'm writing this on limited knowledge of Slayers, so there will be errors (probably). Also, if you're familiar with my writing, you know that I have a different brand of disclaimer that I tack on at the end of a fic. You'll see what I mean when we get there. 


	2. Awakening

Awakening  
  
"Oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh, where am I?" inquired a very groggy Lina. She had awoke in a small room on the top bunk of a bed. On the bunk below, Gourry was still snoring and dreaming about having a huge feast to himself-if his mumbling was any hint to what was going on. Her cape had been lied in another part of the room. A little cactus with a face on it sat in a pot on the other side of the room. For some strange reason there was a leaf that read Cactus Diaries tacked onto a pole near the stairs.  
  
Lina decided to see what was downstairs. She walked down and found a small room with a table and four chairs as well as a wood burning stove. Another room was over to her left. When she took a look, the young sorceress found a library filled with books on battle, history, farming, golems, and different types of monsters that she'd never seen before.  
  
Lina then went upstairs to check on Gourry and pick up her cape - - with all the treasure hidden inside. She found him still sleeping, so she went for her cape. But suddenly, the sorceress had the biggest scare of her life.  
  
"All of my treasure's gone!" she screamed, waking Gourry in the process.  
  
"Lina, what's wrong?" he asked, "And what are you wearing?"  
  
Lina looked down at her clothes. Indeed they had changed. She was now in a purple dress with an Amazoness cut at the bottom. Around her neck was a leather cloth that came down to make a bra-like piece at the top of her dress. Long leather gloves without fingers were on her hands, and brown soled white shoes and long tan socks with a rope topping them covered her feet.  
  
She then took a peek at Gourry. "Hey! You should talk, skirt boy." For Gourry was now in a green skirt with some kind of red squiggly line on the bottom. Some red armor went from the area of his swordbelt, and traveled nearly down to his knees. The top of his torso was covered with red armor with an eye symbol in gold. Red fingerless gauntlets with gold buttons were on his arms. He had a shirt on, but only under his armor and the short sleeves, leaving some of his muscular chest exposed.  
  
Gourry blushed. Then he looked at Leena and commented, "Dang, that leather thing you're wearing around your neck sure accents your flat chest."  
  
"Fireball!" screamed Lina. Instantly, the swordsman was torched. "That'll learn you - - like it ever has before."  
  
* * *  
  
Downstairs, they found a chest with 100 coins called Lucre in it. Figuring it to be some kind of currency, Lina kept them. Then they went outside to search the parameters of the house. It turned out that the building was actually a hollowed out tree.  
  
North of their current position was a stone building filled with shops. The first one was for forging and tempering weapons. The second made golems and Golem AIs (called Logic Blocks) out of old weapons and armor. Finally, the last one was for creating instruments out of metals and elemental coins from the eight spirits.  
  
Lina and Gourry were lucky to find a heaping pile of different metals, old weapons and armor, and coins lying inside. Instantly, they made themselves each a suit of Ishe Platinum armor, as well as a magic pendant and mantel from the same metal. Although the armor and accessories disappeared when they put them on, the defensive power could still be felt.  
  
East of the shops was a corral with five monsters inside. There was a yellow bird called a Chocobo named Moon GS, a black creature with a bull dog face, goat horns and a lion's body called a Chimera beast named Liger 0, a big red seal/fish hybrid called a Big Baby named War Shark, a blue Flying Dragon named Storm Sword, and a small green caterpillar called a Silkspitter named Molga. War Shark, Liger 0, and Storm Sword were sent out into the yard to graze, while Moon GS came with Lina and Gourry on their inspection.  
  
Finally, south of the house, was an orchard. If they gave the giant tree named Trent some seeds - - up to four - - he'd produce two pieces of fruit or veggies per seed. Finding they had a trove of seeds available, Lina gave some to Trent-hoping for some good results.  
  
With that out of the way, they decided to see what lied beyond the area. So they left the parameter of the house. On the way out, they passed a small green creature that was completely made of leaves. He called himself a Sproutling and warned them of the dangers that were in the outside world. Lina, as usual, didn't quite care and Gourry didn't quite understand.  
  
* * *  
  
About a day later, the two came upon a small village called Dominia. It was quite a beautiful and pastel looking. They first noticed a bar, a weapons shop, the shop owner's house, an inn, and what appeared to be a vacant house.  
  
Shortly after entering, they witnessed a boy with an onion for a head asking the name of a young man with brown hair and blue eyes. He had on a dark green hat with a golden belt and two feathery golden side ornaments, light green pants, a dark blue tunic, leather gloves and boots, a golden belt, a sand colored cape, and a yellowish stone breastplate. On the breastplate was a light blue jewel. The man turned to the onion kid, and said, "It's Rooks." Then he went inside.  
  
Curious, Gourry and Lina went inside. But at the door, they collided with a humanoid fish with orange scales. He had on a green shirt with red borders at the bottom and ends of the sleeves that went far down his short legs. A yellow scarf was around his neck. "Please let me through," he demanded of them, "It is nice to share."  
  
Gourry and Lina let him pass. Then, the sorceress turned to her companion and whispered, "I'll ask the fish man where we are. You go for the swordsman in the bar."  
  
Gourry nodded his head. Then, Lina walked away towards the market on the tail of the fish man. He watched her walk away, and entered the bar.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, here's the beginning of our adventure. Originally, the Sproutling gave you the Colorblocks that were used to create Dominia, but I don't want to deal with the artifacts in this parody. We'll just be traversing an already built world using an order of quests that I designed. I really couldn't describe the monsters very well, so just bear with me. They're all named after Zoids from the anime of the same name. And the outfits were designed based on the little black and white drawings in the game book. So they're not exactly as the characters each is playing. Little note for Lina's, by Amazoness, I mean that the bottom part of the skirt has triangles cut out of it, so it looks like a skirt made of a bunch of triangles. You can look at a screen shot for Legend of Mana, or even one for the prequel Sieken Densetsu 3 (never released in America), since each has examples of such a skirt (girl hero in LOM, and Lise/Ries in SD3). 


	3. Highway Robbery

Highway Robbery  
  
Lina ran right to the market after leaving Gourry. Sure enough, she found the fish man hanging around, trying to sell his goods. Most of the people were avoiding him, though some seemed to be buying whatever he sold - - even things Lina classified as junk.  
  
"Excuse me," she began, "My name is Lina Inverse. Where exactly am I? And how do you get to Seyruun from here?"  
  
The fish turned to her. "Never heard of it. But you're in the town of Dominia. Let me ask you one thing, do you think it's dangerous outside of town?"  
  
"Not for the Sorceress Supreme Lina Inverse," she stated.  
  
The fish then said, "My name is Gobi, and I'm a traveling merchant. You see, there's a lot of bandits on the highway and I can't travel from town to town. Would you be willing to help me in getting rid of those brigands?"  
  
Lina's eyes lit up. "Sure thing," she exclaimed, "Killing bandits is my hobby." Quickly, she added under her breath, "Just as long as I get their treasure too."  
  
"Wonderful, then come with me. We'll leave for the Luon Highway after I go see my good friend Teapo," he replied.  
  
* * *  
  
In the house of the shopowner, the two encountered a magical teapot named Teapo and the onion boy - - who was named Duelle. Gobi then proceeded to sell Teapo some of what he called "precious jewels" - - but looked like glass fakes to Lina. She was more than happy to accept them while ignoring Duelle's protests about how much of a swindler Gobi was.  
  
Finally, they were done with their preparations. Gobi slung his spear over his back, while Lina sheathed Dragon's Breath. Then, the two left Dominia and headed for the Luon Highway. It took a day's worth of walking to get there.  
  
On the Highway, they saw Duelle. He asked, "Hey, you're that girl I met in Dominia. Your name was. . .Chumpy, right?"  
  
"No actually it's Lina Inverse," she replied.  
  
"Well then Lina, I must warn you," he said, "Bandits roam this highway all the time, and us good, law abiding citizens shouldn't come here."  
  
Lina told Duelle, "I'll be alright, I'm a mighty sorceress whose slew numerous demons and bandit gangs in my eighteen years. And I'm not gonna stop soon."  
  
"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you," he stated. Then, he left the highway by teleportation-having to attend to urgent business in the Mikev Caverns.  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, Lina and Gobi came across a young woman about 20 years old. She had tiger ears and a tiger's tail, red hair and red eyes. Her pants were blue with a gold belt at the top and a gold border at the bottom. Her shirt - - that exposed her belly button - - was blue as well, bordered by gold on both sides with a gold plate over her heart. She had on a pair of leather gloves without fingers, and martial arts tape higher up on her arm. A golden collar adorned her neck. On her feet were a pair of sandals. Instead of finger and toenails, she had tiger's claws. Each cheek had a pair of tiger stripes running from the side of her face to her nose.  
  
The girl turned to them. "My name is Katt. I came from Gato to see a Wisdom. But I'm afraid of what he might tell me," she said.  
  
Lina sighed. "Well, do whatever you want. I'm certainly not going to force a complete stranger to face her fear, but I'd advise not to just run away. Or else whatever you fear that you'll hear from this Wisdom guy will just haunt you forever."  
  
Katt replied, "Thank you. I don't think I'm ready just yet, but when the time comes, I'll go and talk to him." Then she ran back to town.  
  
* * *  
  
After a little more walking, Lina and Gobi came across a pair of humanoid rats called Chobin Hoods. They were wearing long green tunics and orange hoods. The first one demanded, "Hey you two, hand over all your money now!"  
  
"These guys are mad for money, I can't stand it," wined Gobi.  
  
'Like you aren't' thought Lina. Then she yelled, "We don't take kindly to threats here. You don't know who you're dealing with."  
  
"Oh yeah," the Chobin Hood said, "Master, come out and thrash these punks." With that, a giant armored Mantis called a Mantis Ant came out.  
  
Lina just yawned. "Is that the best you can do? A lousy ant? You'll just have to see what kind of power you're dealing with." She began to chant quietly. Everyone else leaned in closer to sea what was going on. Suddenly, her Demon's Blood Talisman - - which had somehow come with her when all her other jewels vanished - - was powered up, and she screamed out, "Blast Bomb." Instantly, the monsters were melted.  
  
"You were wonderful and now you'll have your reward." Gobi dug into his pack, and produced three items. "An Iron Pot, a Greenball Bun, and a Tako Bug. Usually sold for 3,000 Lucre, you can have them for just 300 Lucre." The next instant, he was Fireballed.  
  
"That's no reward, that's just you trying to sell me junk. And no one tries to pull one over on Lina Inverse and gets away unscathed," she yelled. With that, Gobi gave her the thee items, and began running back to town. Lina decided to go home and meet Gourry when he got back.  
  
- - - -  
  
If you're wondering, Gobi was the merchant in BoF I who lost his licensee and power to turn into a giant fish when he tried to scam people. Originally, he tried to sell Teapo a wheel that was the AF that created the Luon Highway, but once again, I'm not using artifacts. We'll see what happens when Gourry went into the bar in the next chapter. 


	4. Underground Search

Underground Search  
  
When Gourry went into the bar, he saw the swordsman arguing with a waitress with a fairy costume on. The poor girl was cowering in fear over her interrogation, as the man seemed to yell louder with every question. "I know you know something, so just spill," he yelled.  
  
"Excuse me," Gourry said, "What seems to be the problem?"  
  
Rooks turned to him. "My friend is missing."  
  
Gourry inquired, "What does she look like, maybe I've seen her."  
  
"She wears a white dress with a red border around the top, sleeves, bottom, with a red shawl around her waist. A pearl button is on the shawl, and many more pearls are beaded in her brown hair. Her eyes are hazel and she has a pearl embedded in her chest, just like my Lapis Lazuli. She's just like a sister to me," he replied.  
  
"I'll help you find her," Gourry vowed, "We can't leave a poor defenseless girl out there by her self, it goes against the laws of chivalry."  
  
Rooks looked at him, and blinked several times. 'Where'd this wacko crawl out from? Can't he see that I'm a Jumi? Everyone knows our race has jeweled Cores in our chest that act like an external heart. If it's damaged badly or stolen, we die. And everyone knows it's best to not get involved with a Jumi, or you'll be cursed,' he thought.  
  
"So, where to?" Gourry asked.  
  
Rooks replied, "I appreciate your help Mr. ummmmm. . .what did you say your name was?"  
  
"My name is Gourry Gabriev," he stated, "I'm the guardian of Lina Inverse."  
  
"Who's Lina Inverse?" Rooks inquired.  
  
Gourry beamed with pride. "Only the slayer of many evils that I can't remember the names of and she'll Fireball me if I ask her for a refresher coarse. She's famous."  
  
'Yeah, in her own mind,' Rooks thought, 'Otherwise I would have heard of her.'  
  
Suddenly, the girl - - whose name was Rachel - - tugged on Rooks's cape. When the Jumi turned around, she held out an egg. "The girl you were describing left this with here at the bar a short while ago. I saw her leaving town shortly after," she whispered.  
  
Rooks began to panic. "What if she went to the Mikev Caverns? We better go look for her. It's dangerous there." He grabbed Gourry's arm, and then they were off.  
  
* * *  
  
Once in the caverns, they ran into Duelle. "I saw you in Dominia, you're Chumpy, right?" he asked Gourry - - much like he asked Lina.  
  
"I am!?" stated a shocked Gourry.  
  
Rooks sighed, and smacked Gourry upside the head. "You told me your name was Gourry, remember? He must be confused."  
  
Duelle told Rooks, "Well, it's dangerous here, so you better go home. This pretty girl I saw not to long ago didn't listen though. She seemed lost in her thoughts."  
  
"Teefa!" exclaimed Rooks, "Which way did she go?"  
  
Duelle pointed down one of the paths. "I saw her walk down that way. But that's the way to Du'Inke's lair. Are you sure you want to go?"  
  
Rooks said, "I must save Teefa. I can defeat a Du'Inke with no problem. Plus I have this guy to help me. He seems like a good fighter."  
  
"Of course I am," Gourry replied, "Or else I wouldn't be qualified to be the bodyguard to such a powerful sorceress."  
  
Rooks sighed. 'This guy is either stupid, or delusional. His friend's name isn't spoken on the lips of every person in town. Either that or these two are from some foreign land that has no contact with the rest of Fa'Diel.' With that, they ran down the path Duelle had shown them.  
  
* * *  
  
Soon, they found a large cavern, seemingly empty of monsters. Suddenly, the ground began to shake. A giant monkey jumped down onto the ground, causing a giant sized earthquake. It saw the warriors, and began to charge.  
  
"This must be Du'Inke," Rooks commented. He instantly picked up a trio of tarot cards and screamed, "Go spirit of Lightning. Lightning 3." With that, a large bolt of lightning came out from the sky and struck the monster.  
  
But it wasn't down yet. Du'Inke prepared for another pass. He knocked Rooks clear across the room. As the young Jumi began to get his bearings, he ran at him again.  
  
Gourry pulled Dragon's Claw out of it's sheath. He ran forward, and stabbed Du'Inke with the weapon. Instantly, the monster was destroyed.  
  
Rooks got up and began to look around. He suddenly saw a young girl huddling in the corner. "Teefa, are you alright?" he asked.  
  
She nodded her head. "Sorry Rooks, I was just thinking, and I ended up here for some strange reason. I wonder why."  
  
Rooks helped her up and told her, "Just stay by my side from now on. We wouldn't want your Core damaged by anything."  
  
Teefa suddenly spied Gourry. "Rooks, whose this?"  
  
"That's Gourry, he helped me find you," Rooks replied, "Thanks for your help."  
  
"Thank you Gourry, I'll see you around some time," Teefa said. Then she followed Rooks out of the cave, and Gourry headed home.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, Teefa and Rooks come from Arcana. Rooks was the hero who had the ability to manipulate the four spirits and wield the mystical cards like his ancestor, while Teefa was a young princess under the enemy's control. Lina and Gourry are back together in the next chapter. 


	5. Apprentices

Apprentices  
  
Lina arrived home a few minutes before Gourry. Once there, she took a look at the Cactus Diaries upstairs. Surprisingly, all of the info on her adventure was already written, as well as stuff about the Golems, weapons, instruments, pets, and fruit. And also some stuff about Gourry's adventure with Rooks - - although she didn't quite know what it was about.  
  
Bored with waiting for her dimwitted companion to get home, Lina went to fix herself a little snack from all of the fruits, veggies, and meats that she found in the house. She made sure to put a little bit of everything in it - - so she knew exactly what she liked. Then, the sorceress went to town chowing down.  
  
About the time she was on her fifth portion, Gourry arrived home. He went over to the table, and began to fix himself a snack too. It was about this time that Lina finally noticed that he'd entered the room. So she asked, "Well, how did it go?"  
  
"Ummmm. . .how did what go?" he echoed.  
  
Lina Fireballed him on the spot. "You were supposed to get information regarding our current predicament stupid. All I found out is that a traveling merchant doesn't know where Seyruun is, meaning we're pretty far from home."  
  
"I didn't find anything out," Gourry replied, "I helped a young man look for his missing friend. Or was it his sister? Or maybe his girlfriend. Hey Lina, do you know what a Core is?"  
  
Lina was about to Fireball him, but then remembered that she didn't know what it was. It was probably one of the mysteries of this area that they'd have to figure out. She just smiled at him and went back to eating her snack.  
  
* * *  
  
After finishing their food, Lina and Gourry went outside. They'd decided in any case of them splitting up, she'd take Moon GS and he'd bring Liger 0 - - since Gourry and Rooks hadn't had any help in their mission. Then they went to the Golem Lab and began creating Golems. First they made a Spear Type called FORCE G and painted him blue. Then they made a Bow Type called ZOID and painted him red. Finally, they made a Sword Type called GUNDAM and painted him yellow.  
  
Once finished with the Golems, they went to do some gardening in the orchard. After picking all of the fruit and planting new seeds, Lina and Gourry found it was time to feed the pets. So they went to the corral and began filling the feedboxes with fruits.  
  
Then it was time for their dinner. Lina and Gourry argued over every last bite of food on the table until it was gone. Once they'd each eaten about ten courses, plus dessert, the duo sat outside and watched the stars. As if by instinct, Lina found herself leaning against Gourry's side, but caught herself before he noticed. He didn't even see the blush on her face.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Lina got up bright and early. She went outside in order to check the mail, only to find the mail carrier - - a pelican named Pelican - - on her front step looking worried. "Help," she begged, "Pumpkins have taken over West Dominia and I can't get on with my job." With that, she handed Lina her mail and flew away.  
  
'Hmmmm . . .there's menus from all of the restaurants in the world in here. Looks like Gourry and I won't be bored with the food here,' she thought. Another package caught her eyes. 'Instruments from Geo? "Quell the Spirits and get coins in return with our fabulous instruments"? I didn't order this. And I know Gourry didn't, we don't get catalogues here. Oh well, guess I'll keep them. Might be fun to play with sometime or another.'  
  
Then Lina went back inside and woke Gourry up. She relayed the message to him, and they ran strait away to Dominia. They headed for West Dominia on the double. There, they saw a pair of child elves playing in a pumpkin patch. The little boy had on a long green robe with a rope tied around the middle for a belt. The girl had on an orange dress with a white undershirt and white pants and her hair was in a pigtail. Both were blond hair with green eyes and had on leather boots. The boy had a blue frying pan with a yellow starfish on it while his sister had an old broom.  
  
"MWAHAHAHA," the boy laughed.  
  
The girl yelled, "Jared, stop that."  
  
But Jared didn't stop laughing - - much to his sister's annoyance. "Jerin, you and I will rule the world as brother and sister with the power of these pumpkins."  
  
Jerin rolled her eyes. "Rule the world with pumpkins. . .As IF."  
  
At that moment, the twins saw Gourry and Lina with Moon GS. "Kneel before Jared the Malignant if you know what's good for you," commanded Jared.  
  
"Why don't you get your pumpkins to do it for you, " Jerin teased.  
  
Jared said, "Ok, after we take care of these two."  
  
Lina sighed. She'd never heard such rubbish in her entire life. A pair of pint sized elves trying to take on a full-grown sorceress. So she just yelled, "Flare Arrow." Instantly, the twins were toasted, and fell on the spot.  
  
Lina then healed them up. After seeing her power, Jared begged, "Please, let us be your apprentices. We'll work hard."  
  
"I'm sorry for my brother," Jerin apologized, "Jared is such a prankster."  
  
"Ok," said Lina.  
  
The twins began to cheer. Then, they followed Gourry and Lina back to the treehouse. Lina brought a pair of sleeping bags, and set them up in the library for them to sleep on. As the night set in on the little house, everyone drifted off to sleep.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I added the Cactus Diaries. In the game, you had to talk to Li'l Cactus in order to get him to record, but since I'm not going home after every quest, I made him psychically know what was going on. The reason I chose those particular monsters is that Liger 0 is the Zoid belonging to the main character, and Moon GS is an original Zoid I made for his beloved in one fic. For the record, Jerin was the half-elf in Lufia who rivaled w/Lufia for the hero's heart. So I just used a similar name for her twin. 


	6. Katt & the Rock

Katt & the Rock  
  
The next day, the two warriors talked with Lina's new apprentices. They revealed their names to be Jerin and Jared - - which the adults already knew. They were eight years old and had lost their parents a few years back. In fact, Jared's frying pan was his mothers, while Jerin kept her father's broom. Just recently, they'd been expelled from Geo's Academy of Magic due to Jared's mischievous streak. So they went to Dominia in hopes of finding a teacher.  
  
"My one dream in the world is to find the Seven Wisdoms," commented Jared.  
  
"Who?!" asked Lina, "I've never heard of them."  
  
Jerin cut in, "They're the most famous magicians in the universe. Except one of them died, so there's only six left. It is said that they live all over the world."  
  
"Lina, can you take me on a search for them?" inquired Jared.  
  
Lina sighed. It wasn't really her idea of a good time looking for six old magicians that she had no idea of what they looked like. Especially since she didn't even have the slightest idea of where they lived and that meant she had no way of knowing when she'd be home. But when Jared looked at her with those big eyes that only a kid can muster, she said, "Sure. Do you have an idea of where we could begin? I'm not to familiar with the area."  
  
"Lake Kilma," he replied, "They say Tote the Tortoise lives there with the fairies." With that, Jared pulled Lina out the door.  
  
* * *  
  
With Lina and Jared gone with Moon GS, Gourry took Liger 0 to Dominia. Jerin had asked him give a message to one of her friends who was staying in the inn - - written, or Gourry would forget to repeat it. After he did that, he went into another room. There, he saw Katt - - the girl Lina had seen on the Highway.  
  
"Do you believe in the Mana Tree?" she asked.  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "I don't know. What's a Mana Tree?"  
  
Katt facefaulted. "Well then," she said, "Here's another question. What happens to your soul when you die? Does it fade away or live forever?"  
  
"Well, I have seen ghosts in the past, so I'd say it lives forever," Gourry answered in a rare moment of intelligence - - which quickly faded away.  
  
Katt exclaimed, "I agree. I've been wounded a hundred times, but no one has ever wounded my soul. I would like to meet with the Wisdom Gaeus, and would like to know if you'll accompany me."  
  
"Sure," Gourry replied, "It's my duty to help ladies in distress."  
  
'A real gentleman, not like Sten used to be. That fool is the reason this whole mess has happened, whether he admits it or not,' she thought. "Then let's go. My name is Katt. I'm a monk soldier at the temple in Gato."  
  
"And I'm Gourry," he said, "Bodyguard to Lina Inverse, Sorceress Supreme."  
  
* * *  
  
They brought provisions and headed for the Luon Highway. Along the way, they saw Teefa. "Hi Gourry," she exclaimed, "How's it been?"  
  
Gourry asked, "Where's Rooks?"  
  
Teefa looked down. "I'm kind of lost again. Where am I?"  
  
"I don't know, you tell me," answered Gourry.  
  
Katt had enough at that point. "You're on the Luon Highway outside of Dominia. You really should get back to town or you'll get hurt."  
  
"Ok," replied Teefa, "See you Gourry." Then she ran off.  
  
"What's up with her?" inquired Katt.  
  
Gourry stated, "I don't know either. She just seems to like getting lost and making her friend worry. Or is he her brother? Or maybe her boyfriend?"  
  
"This is going to be a long trip," groaned the soldier.  
  
* * *  
  
Finally they arrived at Gaeus. He was a great rock face in the wall on the side of a cliff. Katt and Gourry climbed onto his hand, and he hoisted them up where he could hear them. "Welcome my children, what is your question?" he boomed.  
  
Katt cleared her throat. "My friend is about to die from a demon's curse. What should I do?"  
  
"Do whatever she wants you to do," Gaeus replied.  
  
"She won't help herself," Katt cried, "She used to be so strong willed, but a demon weakened her both body and in spirit. The old Matilda would have had me fixing her a cure faster than you could say 'Sten, lighten up'."  
  
Gaeus told her, "People change that is what she has been teaching you. If she wants you to help, she'll tell you what to do. But for now, you must let her judge what she wants to do." With that, he put them down on the ground.  
  
* * *  
  
"I knew it'd be bad," sighed Katt, "But the girl I met was right, it was better than stressing over it. Here, take this ring Gourry. Give it to someone special. And make sure to visit me in Gato some time in the future. Goodbye." With that, Katt left.  
  
"That's where I'll go next. Maybe Gato has some good food if it's a temple community. Just like Syphiel's food back in Saraag," he exclaimed. Then, without even going home to check on Jerin or to see if Lina and Jared had returned, Gourry hightailed it to Gato.  
  
- - - -  
  
Oh Gourry, head in his stomach. Katt and Sten, if you're wondering are from Breath of Fire II. Katt was a female warrior who competed with Nina for the heart of Ryu. Sten was a soldier whom you meet after he plays a trick on Ryu. Anyone besides me get the feeling that Lina spoon-fed that line to Gourry, since he's so adamant about being her bodyguard/guardian? 


	7. Pirates & Fairies

Pirates & Fairies  
  
While Gourry was with Katt, Lina had taken Jared to Lake Kilma. It was a pretty beautiful lake, except for one thing. A large congregation of humanoid penguins and a walrus were blocking the path. They seemed to be discussing something. Lina and Jared walked closer to hear what.  
  
"Capt'n Tusk, the scouts haven't come back yet. D'you thing the fairies may have done something to them?" inquired a penguin.  
  
"We better get back to the ship mateys," the walrus stated, "Or else the fairies will get us all."  
  
Lina walked up to ask what was going on. When she got close enough, a penguin asked her for the password. "What password? I'm just passing through here. It's plain to see that I'm not a penguin. So just leave me be, or be Dragon Slaved," she yelled.  
  
"Let's jes go," Capt'n Tusk told the penguins, "Don't want to mess with the likes of a flat chested wench like her now."  
  
"Fireball," screamed Lina. Instantly, the penguins were all burnt, and they began to run away. "Are you paying attention Jared? If anyone insults you, just Fireball them. If that doesn't work, hit them with a stronger spell."  
  
"Hit with stronger spell," repeated Jared as he wrote it down on his notepad, "Got it. I'll tell Jerin when I get back home.  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, they came across a turtle that had been thrown on his back. He asked Lina, "Could you please help me stand up? The pirates knocked me down as they ran by looking for the Treasure of the Lake Master."  
  
Lina's eyes lit up like dollar signs. Eager to learn more, she helped the turtle up. But it was Jared who spoke up. "Hi Tote, I'm Jared. I came to listen to the Wisdoms to become a great wizard."  
  
Tote replied, "Hello Jared. Well, it seems like you have a formidable teacher here. She will teach you everything you need to know for your future studies. Listen to what she has to say, as her powers are indeed strong."  
  
"Thanks Tote," Jared said.  
  
"Can you see the fairies here?" inquired Tote, "They've been getting pretty mad at the pirates, and are turning them to stone."  
  
Lina told the turtle, "No I can't see fairies. And what was that about a treasure?"  
  
"You'll see soon. Since you can't see the fairies, it means either they trust you, or your power scares them. I will cast a spell so you can see them." With that, Tote began to chant, and Lina was covered with a strange light. Suddenly, she began to see fairies.  
  
* * *  
  
She and Jared walked on, where they encountered the pirates again. It seemed that they were all wishing to free there "stoned" mates. Lina giggled to herself - - thinking of the other meaning of the word stoned. The captain got mad at them for joking around and then began to chase them back to their ship - - wherever that was.  
  
'I guess we better find out what'll happen with them,' Lina thought, 'It sounds like some great fun.' With that, she and Jared ran after them.  
  
Some time later, they saw the pirates fall off a ledge in order to escape a fairy. The creature told Tusk, "You must be sacrificed to the master too."  
  
As the walrus tried to beg for his life, the fairy cast a petrifying spell on him. Then, he fell off the cliff. The fairy turned around and saw Lina, Jared, Moon GS, and Tote - - who had just entered. She got scared, and flew off in an instant.  
  
"Once you go down, there's no going back. Do you really want to go through with it?" asked Tote.  
  
Lina yelled, "Of course I do! I can't just stand here with the treasure down in the lake. I never leave money just laying around, it's wasteful." With that, she jumped, followed by the others.  
  
At the bottom, they found the pirates worrying about their captain - - who was stone. Tote told everyone, "Humans believe there's a huge treasure here. Fairies believe they'll die if the master dies. But both are lies. If you want to kill the master, you penguins become live bait while Miss Lina and young Jared kill it." Then, in order to start it, he threw Capt'n Tusk in the lake.  
  
The pirates followed. Then, a giant spikey eye came out of the lake. It began attacking Lina and Jared. She just yawned and screamed, "Diem Wind." With that, the eye was knocked back.  
  
Jared followed up with his Spark skill. Then, Lina ran up and Fireballed the best. Instantly, it began its death agonies.  
  
* * *  
  
After the master was killed, Tusk and the other penguins were de- stoned. As Lina and the pirates began to sigh over the fact that there was no treasure, Jared whined that he wanted to go home. So they began climbing up the rocks, until they'd arrived at the top.  
  
"I'm going home," said Jared, "I want to see Jerin and tell her what happened."  
  
Lina replied, "Well, I'm going to Gato Grottoes. Something tells me that I should be going to there immediately. You be good while I'm gone."  
  
"Ok Lina, I'll see you later," called Jared. Then they left the lake, separated, and went to their respective destinations.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, Gourry and Lina will reunite in the next chapter. Jared's spell comes from Lufia - - it's one of Jerin's skills in the game. 


	8. The Hunter Appears

The Hunter Appears  
  
Several days later, Lina arrived in Gato Grottoes. She saw a Sproutling that had fallen down on the ground and a nun from the temple trying to help. But when she tried bringing him to the store where he could relax, the Sproutling ran away to the north of the town.  
  
"Strange, why would he run away?" wondered Lina. Suddenly, something bumped into her, knocking the sorceress flat on her face. "Whoever it was that knocked me down is going to be hurting real bad when I get through with them."  
  
A voice told Lina, "Sorry, I was in a hurry to find the temple and figure out who the cook is. I hope that he or she has the same skill as my friend back home."  
  
Lina turned around and saw Gourry standing there. Instantly, her eyes flared, and she Fireballed him. "If you ever knock me over again, you'll be Dragon Slaved so hard that you'll be feeling the hurt for about two years," she screamed.  
  
"Sorry Lina," he apologized, "I just wanted to find the food here. This girl I met in Dominia told me about this temple, so I figured. . ."  
  
"You figured that temple equals food since Syphiel lives in a temple. Sometimes I just can't believe the things you think of," Lina accused.  
  
Gourry nodded his head. "Let's go to the temple. We can get a good meal." With that, he began to drag her. The only reason Lina didn't Fireball him was that she wanted food too. Liger 0 ran back to the house to deliver a letter to the kids, telling them where the duo would be.  
  
* * *  
  
They went to an outcropping near the temple. Around the area, they found a table and chairs, most likely for eating. That got the duo all excited at the prospect of food. There, they saw a nun trying to remove a Popo Bug that was hurting a Sproutling's stomach. But the second she tried to tear away a leaf, he freaked out and ran towards the temple.  
  
Looking for some good food, they followed him. But when they caught up, he ran away again. At the outcropping, they saw a nun and another man with red hair and an elaborate red robe. She asked him, "Mr. Reubens, are you going to remove the Popo Bug from the Sproutling? You know it's the only cure for your petrified sweetheart in Geo."  
  
"How do you know where she is?" inquired Reubens.  
  
But the nun didn't answer. She just ran at him, knocked him down. "If you cry for me, I won't harm your Core. So show me some tears," she threatened.  
  
Reubens began, "I can't cry. And you well know this."  
  
"That's too bad," the woman sighed, "Goodbye, Ruby Knight." Then, she grabbed the jewel, and pulled it off him. "You're still alive?! Most Jumi just succumb to death right away. But no matter, for soon you will be gone." Then, she jumped off the ledge and ran away.  
  
Suddenly, a little mouse man named Inspector Boyd came running in. "Zeril, where are you? Show yourself."  
  
"If you mean that nun, she just ran away," Lina informed him.  
  
"That was no nun," he told her, "That was Zeril, the Jewel Hunter. There isn't a person alive or dead that she can't impersonate. She goes around the world stealing the Cores of Jumi. Without their Cores, a Jumi dies."  
  
At that instant, Reubens uttered the words, "Diana, I'm sorry." Then, he faded away. "So," Gourry said, "That's what a Core is." Lina and the Inspector both facefaulted. "Is something wrong guys?"  
  
"Something tells me that she's still around. Probably hiding on the outskirts of the town. Let's go and find her," the inspector said.  
  
* * *  
  
They ran through the dungeon on the outskirts of the temple. Many monsters tried to end their journey, but Gourry and Lina managed to defeat each one. For a path, they simply followed the dropped Sproutling leaves that were found on the ground.  
  
Eventually, they found the nun with the Sproutling. "I can get rid of your pain," she told him. With that, she subdued him, and stole the leaf with the Popo Bug.  
  
At that moment, Inspector Boyd ran up to her. "Zeril," he screamed, "I've got you now. Finally, your reign of terror ends." The nun suddenly threw a smoke bomb to the ground. When it cleared, it revealed a young woman in a long green dress with a slit in it and leather boots. Her eyes were blue and her hair was a dirty blond color that flowed down to her neck. She had large flowery hairpins on either side of her head, as well as other pieces of jewelry.  
  
"I won't be caught so easily Inspector. You haven't seen the last of me." Then she pulled out her grappling hook, threw it, and ran away.  
  
Inspector Boyd began to fume. "That was the 994th Jumi that has been murdered by her in the past ten years. How can she be so heartless?"  
  
"We'll keep our eyes open for her," Lina vowed, "She won't get away with killing innocent people, as long as Lina Inverse lives."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, this was the abridged version of the story. The real quest was pretty long, so I shortened it. If you're wondering, Zeril was one of the villains who helped kidnap Princess Salah in Arcana. I still can't figure out if it was a man or a woman. 


	9. Moonlight Romance

Moonlight Romance  
  
On the way back from Gato, Lina and Gourry decided to stop off at the town of Lumina. They were hoping to get a good meal at its famous tavern. Once there, they - - as predicted - - ordered a huge amount of food, and began to eat. Most of the patrons began to stare at the fact that such a small girl was out eating such a big man. But some had other things on their minds.  
  
"Did you hear?" asked another patron of his friend, "Mina the Lampmaker might be closing her shop. She's having trouble selling again."  
  
"Again?! I thought she'd have sold that shop the first time she had trouble. But those Sirens never give up. Guess she's finally seen things from a human's perspective," the second answered.  
  
Lina whispered to Gourry, "Want to see what's going on at the Lamp Shop? Maybe we can find something interesting there. Like a lamp with magical powers."  
  
Gourry didn't have time to argue. Lina grabbed his arm, and began to pull him towards the rest of the town. They didn't stop until they'd arrived at the shop.  
  
Inside was a young girl with blond hair and jade green eyes. She had on a pink halter-top and a green skirt. On each arm was a gold bracelet, and she wore high heel shoes. Out of her back came a pair of white feathery wings.  
  
"Hello, I'm Mina, a Siren as you might have guessed," she told them, "My lamps haven't been selling lately, so I'm thinking of moving to another town to start over."  
  
Just then, a straw haired Centaur came into the shop. He had on a green hat with a red band reminiscent of Zangulus's brown one, and a green vest. Instantly, he walked up to the counter, and gave Mina a bouquet of flowers.  
  
"Oh Mina, don't say such a thing. You can't just leave your poet of love, Gilbert, behind like this. Tell you what, I'll bring your lamps to the other areas of town and advertise them," he said.  
  
Mina's smile brightened. "Thank you Gilbert. Just sell these six lamps for me, and I can stay in the shop. They cost 1,000 Lucre each." Then, she handed him the lamps and he left.  
  
* * *  
  
When Lina and Gourry walked out of the shop, Gilbert handed them three lamps. "We can't leave Mina in a jam like this," he told them, "Can you sell these three for me?"  
  
"Sure. . .for a price," Lina replied.  
  
He handed her a bag of Lucre. "Here's 3,000 Lucre. A thousand for each lamp you sell." Then he walked off, leaving Lina and Gourry. * * *  
  
They returned to the bar. Shortly after, the Manager came up to them and asked, "Would you like to learn the Dudbear language?" He motioned to a group of what appeared to be stuffed bears with metal joints. Each one had on a green hood, and a brown vest.  
  
"Sure," replied Lina. She was already formulating a plan to sell the lamps off to the Dudbears, since there were so many in the bar.  
  
The Manager then began to teach her. Most of the language had some basis on the simple word Dub. She was practically yawning out of sheer boredom, but sat through it. When he was done with the lesson, he went back to his post.  
  
Then Lina got to work. She began talking to the Dudbears, and managed to sell off her lamps to three of them. They seemed very happy with those simple lamps. After she'd finished, they returned to the lamp shop.  
  
There, they found Gilbert. After handing him the money, he went inside. Shortly after, he re-emerged with Mina. They went over to a ledge, and began to talk.  
  
Lina paid little attention to the speech. The spirits were singing their wonderful melodies, filling the air with a sense of power. She felt like she was falling into a trance from all of the sounds in the town. So she didn't quite realize what was happening when she grabbed Gourry's hand.  
  
Gourry didn't quite get it either. He was also feeling quite funny from the music, and grabbed Lina's other hand. Then, he pulled her closer for a kiss.  
  
Suddenly, the music stopped. Apparently, Mina had been reluctant to follow along with Gilbert on an adventure he was planning. So the Centaur had broken it off right then and there. He left the town, and Mina returned to her shop.  
  
Lina looked at Gourry and blushed. Then she Fireballed him. "Never, EVER, do that to me again. Or I won't let you off so easy!" she screamed.  
  
* * *  
  
They decided to go inside the shop to console Mina. But shortly after they entered, the Dudbears came to see her. Apparently, they really enjoyed her lamps, and wanted to thank her. After a nice little conversation that was to fast for Lina to follow - - Mina must have studied Dudbear before, and had managed to perfect it - - they left.  
  
"This is why I love this job," Mina told them, "Thanks for all your help. As a reward, you may have this." She went over to the shelf and picked up a lamp. "It is filled with powerful magic. If ever you're lost, it has the power to teleport you back home. A sorcerer can utilize its power and learn to teleport under their own magic."  
  
Lina picked it up. She vowed to master the power of the lamp immediately. So, after dragging Gourry outside, she held it to the sky, and teleported back to the house.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, a bit of romance. They say that music and the moon makes a person do funny things. The name Mina is a Breath of Fire ref. In BoF II, she was the sister of Nina. In BoF III, a girl named Mina lived at a manor you had to rob near the beginning. She plays a bigger role later on - - with two more who are just parodies of BoF returning characters. This section isn't based on any particular BoF, just the series in particular. 


	10. Jungle Boogie

Jungle Boogie  
  
After Lina teleported home, they all had a good night's rest. In the morning, Lina was woken up by Jared tugging at her dress. "Wake up, I want to go to the Jungle. They say Rossiotti the Beast lives there. I want to meet him."  
  
Lina got out of bed. Although she wasn't to happy with Jared for waking her, the quest did give her a chance to play with her lamp's power. She wrote a note for Gourry, and teleported to the Jungle with Jared.  
  
* * *  
  
Near the entrance, they found a little dog man named Sotherbee - - who spoke so all his Ls became Ws - -ordering a tall thin man named Skippie and a short stout man named Hamson to go hunt a monster called Du'Cate. Apparently, they owed a 1,000,000 Lucre debt for breaking things in his boss's mansion, and did cleaning and odd jobs for her.  
  
"I'w pay you 200,000 Wucre for each Du'Cate taiw you bring back," he told them. With that, the two men ran off.  
  
Lina asked Sotherbee, "How can I get in on this deal?"  
  
"Just bring back Du'Cate taiws," he replied, "Then I'w pay you after that."  
  
Suddenly, a small pink creature with a bird nest on its head came out of the bushes. Sotherbee was quite surprised. "Oh! It's a Wiwapea. Just one fetches 100,000 Wucre. Catch it and I'w reward you handsomwy." He immediately began to chase it.  
  
Not wanting to be left out, Lina began to chase it too. But the sly creature managed to run circles around the two, causing Lina to fall on top of Sotherbee. Then he ran away.  
  
As the dog man began to whine about his luck, Lina and Jared ran after the Lilapea. After chasing it around for awhile, they finally lost it. Looking for rest, they followed Hamsom up to the north. Skippie was waiting there.  
  
The two men began to talk about a creature Skippie saw. But Hamsom went the wrong way, and was sent back to the entrance by the fairies. 'This guy makes Gourry seem like a genius,' thought Lina. Then, she went the way Skippie was really pointing.  
  
* * *  
  
In the area, she and Jared saw Rossiotti. "Hi I'm Jared. I came to listen to the Wisdoms to become a great wizard," he said.  
  
Rossiotti replied, "Hello Jared. Listen to the whispers of all of the creatures in this universe. Birds, fish, even plants and rocks, each has their own power and knowledge. You could do to learn all of the lessons they have."  
  
"Thanks," Jared exclaimed.  
  
"Du'Cate has been causing trouble lately," admitted the Wisdom, "Try working with the other two to catch him."  
  
* * *  
  
Shortly after leaving Rossiotti's clearing, they saw Skippie. "Will you help us catch Du'Cate?" inquired Lina.  
  
"Sure," he replied, "I'll just chase him out into the open. Then you strike him when he's running." Skippie ran off towards Du'Cate's home.  
  
They continued to wander, until they found Hamsom. Jared asked, "Please mister, will you help us catch Du'Cate?"  
  
Hamsom smiled at them. "Duh, of course I'll help. I'll just ramble on through and get him to come out of hiding." Then he too ran off to Du'Cate's lair.  
  
* * *  
  
Finally, Lina and Jared made it to the territory of the beast. Suddenly, a giant monkey came out on a vine. Jared immediately loaded a notch in his bow, and shot him down from the trees.  
  
That gave Lina the chance she needed. She began charging up, and suddenly screamed out, "Explosion Array." When that didn't do much, she slashed him with Dragon's Breath, and used Mono Volt on him. Du'Cate instantly writhed in pain, and died.  
  
Hamsom and Skippie ran into the clearing. "You know, you and me sure don't get along," Skippie admitted to his co-worker.  
  
Hamsom replied, "But we're both wimps. Can't do a thing when we need to."  
  
* * *  
  
Later on, they took Du'Cate's tail back to Sotherbee. He began to thank them, and then reduced Hamsom and Skippie's debt by 200,000 Lucre. But to Lina, he only gave 500 Lucre.  
  
"Why you little," Lina grumbled, "How dare you cheat me? You said that each tail was worth 200,000 Lucre."  
  
"I thought you weren't greedy wike these two," Sotherbee told her. Instantly, he got the Lina Penalty (Fireball). "Awright, I'll give you the 200,000." Then he fainted.  
  
"Magic lesson number two," Lina told Jared, "Always be ready with a Fireball or other spell if someone attempts to cheat you out of something."  
  
Jared wrote all that down. Then, he held onto Lina's hand. She began to concentrate, and then - - under her own power and not using the lamp - - they teleported back home.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another chapter out. Really don't know what to say 'bout this one. Except I liked the joke about Lina's Fireball. 


	11. Desert Battle

Desert Battle  
  
Once Lina and Jared arrived home, they found Gourry and Jerin waiting. Apparently, Jerin had heard a rumor about students from Geo going into the Duma Desert, and wanted to know what was going on. But she had a cold, and Gourry was looking after her.  
  
"If Jared stays here with me, I'm sure Gourry and Lina can go to the desert," she said.  
  
Lina told her, "Of course we'll go. After that, I'm going to a fancy restaurant with some of the money I earned on our little venture."  
  
"What venture?" asked Gourry, "Where were you?"  
  
"Hunting a monster in the Jungle. I got 200,000 Lucre for the job." Lina answered.  
  
Gourry then begged, "Please take me with you to the restaurant."  
  
"Sure," Lina replied, "It'll be nice to have company. But one crack about my eating habits or chest and you'll find yourself in a full body cast like the one Zolf had on."  
  
"Who's Zolf?" inquired Gourry. Lina facefaulted.  
  
* * *  
  
After screaming at Gourry for forgetting Zelgadis's old servant, she dragged him outside. Then, she began to gather her power and teleported them to the desert. Once there, they began to take a look around, and indeed saw many students. With them was a basilisk woman sitting on a rock.  
  
"Excuse me miss," Lina began, "We were taking a walk and were just wondering what is going on here? Is there an emergency?"  
  
A student yelled, "Hey, what are you doing to Miss Kathinja? You must be spies sent to deter her search. Let's get 'em everyone." With that, the students charged.  
  
The woman named Kathinja suddenly screamed, "STOP!" At once, they all backed off. "These people aren't with Mephianse. Stop clobbering everyone you see."  
  
"Please don't glare at us," one whimpered.  
  
"Yeah," another added, "We don't want to explode."  
  
Kathinja then told the two warriors, "I'm Kathinja, a teacher at the Academy of Magic in Geo. The Principal - - Mr. Mephianse - - stole a valuable spell book from the library. He came into the desert with his students to try some spells, and we're here to get it back. Will you help us?"  
  
"For a price," Lina replied.  
  
Kathinja was willing to pay anything the young sorceress asked. With that, she and the students charged into the desert. Gourry and Lina followed close behind.  
  
* * *  
  
Sometime later, they were stopped by a duo of Mephianse's students. But Lina just sighed, and Fireballed them. Then she and Gourry continued onwards. Along the way, the usual fare of monsters tried their luck - - without success - - to kill them.  
  
After another few minutes, they came across the rest of Mephianse's class. Lina decided against Fireballing the whole student body of the academy, and decided to just Raywing over their heads instead. She grabbed Gourry's arm, and they were off.  
  
When they stopped for a rest, Kathinja caught up. She informed them, "Mephianse's magic is as strong as two sorcerers. You better be ready before we leave."  
  
"But I'm ready now," Lina insisted, "I've defeated way worse than a megalomaniac sorcerer in my days. So I'm sure I can take him."  
  
"Then let's go," she said. With that, they charged ahead.  
  
They found Mephianse and a pair of students working on a large cannon. "Give us back the book," Kathinja demanded.  
  
Mephianse told her, "I threw it out. Useful book, I memorized every spell in it. You see, with this cannon I plan to make a star and control it as I wish. Then I shall destroy the world by making all of the stars fall to the ground."  
  
"You'll never get away with this," she yelled, "We'll stop you."  
  
Mephianse just ignored her. Instead, he tried pushing her out of the desert. Lina managed to hold her ground, and Gourry just grabbed onto his friend - - on her chest. While this would usually be grounds for a Fireball, Lina decided to skip it so she wouldn't be blown out of the desert. Kathinja wasn't as lucky, and was blown away.  
  
"How did you?!" Mephianse exclaimed.  
  
"Never mess with Lina Inverse," she informed him, "Or you'll just get burned in the end." Mephianse suddenly saw Kathinja running back up to them. So he motioned to his students to light the fuse. But things didn't go quite as planned. Instead of all of the stars falling, colorful fireworks lighted up the sky. Lina somehow acquired a tub of popcorn, and sat there eating it. But she did Fireball Gourry when he tried to take some of it from her.  
  
"That was entertaining," Kathinja said. She looked over at Lina and Gourry. "Your sorcery must be great if you are able to block Mephianse's spell. How would you like to teach at the academy?"  
  
Lina replied, "No thanks. I have two apprentices already and they're a handful. I can't imagine teaching a whole class."  
  
The basilisk smiled. "Well in any case, you still have a great power. Maybe you should come to Geo and learn some magic from us."  
  
"I'll think about it," Lina said. With that, she and Gourry teleported away.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, Lina and Gourry went on another quest. Is it just me, or did I make Jerin sound like she's playing matchmaker? And I always do the popcorn gag whenever something entertaining to the other characters happens - - such as an argument. Just had to add the Gourry and Lina factor to it. 


	12. Seaside Romance

Seside Romance  
  
Realizing they had some time to kill before dinner, Lina and Gourry teleported to the Madora Beach. They hoped to find a good spot for a picnic or a day trip to bring Jerin and Jared one day. But neither of them counted on what they would find.  
  
A pair of penguins were standing at the entrance. The man wore a blue and white striped hat like most of the other pirates while the girl wore a pink and white striped hat with red flowers on the side. Both had on the pirate's red coats.  
  
"Valerie, you have to understand," the man said, "The Capt'n and crew need me."  
  
Valerie replied, "Oh David. That's what I get for falling in love with a pirate. I guess I'll just have to hatch it myself." Then she ran off.  
  
David was positively shocked. "Valerie, did you lay an egg?" he asked himself. Then he decided to follow her and get the story strait.  
  
"Let's go too," Lina insisted, "We can help play matchmaker."  
  
Gourry sighed. He didn't quite feel right, butting into the business of the two penguins. But if he didn't, he knew Lina would kill him. So he just shut his trap and followed along.  
  
* * *  
  
They continued on through the caverns of the beach. Along the way, they encountered a strange type of crab that broke apart every time they stepped on it. Lina gave up early in trying to catch them for a soup. But Gourry had to be dragged away by his hair since he hadn't quite gotten the message. He'd thought it was some kind of evasion technique.  
  
After walking around for awhile, they came across a giant monster called the Full Metal Hager. It was a cross between a crab and a spider. Gourry ran up to it and tried to slash it with Dragon's Claw, but was knocked away by the monster's strength.  
  
Lina's eyes filled with rage. She didn't know why, but for some reason she felt that she must take vengeance for his injury - - although it was minor. So the young sorceress jumped onto the nearest rock, and yelled, "Digger Volt." The electric shock surged through the monster, and killed it.  
  
Lina ran up to her wounded friend. She saw he had no serious injuries, and immediately began to use Recovery on him. Then she dumped some cold water on Gourry's face so he'd wake up.  
  
"What happened to the monster?" asked Gourry.  
  
"It's gone now," Lina replied, "What were you thinking, running at him without any idea of what he was capable of? Then again, you never think but that's besides the point. I don't want to be stranded in a place I've never heard of, and have no way of knowing how to return to familiar lands or contact my other friends without someone else to share it with."  
  
Gourry told her, "Don't worry, I'll always be your bodyguard."  
  
"Thanks Gourry," she replied, "Traveling is always more fun if you have someone to joke with, no matter who they are. That's why I never just killed Nahga for driving me batty for two strait years. Even if she was annoying, I could at least talk to someone."  
  
"Who's Nahga," Gourry inquired.  
  
"An old traveling companion. Annoying laugh, intimidating proportions," she replied.  
  
Gourry stood up and they began to walk together. "Did she make you feel inadequate all of the time? I mean, was she constantly forgetting things too?"  
  
"Let me put it this way Gourry," Lina said, "Your intelligence level and jokes about my chest are a few steps above hers."  
  
They continued to walk as Lina related stories about her early travels to Gourry. Although she knew he'd forget them by the end of the day, it was relaxing to be able to tell all of the most embarrassing things that had happened while with Nahga without the Serpent around to try and put her own two cents in. Meaning Lina could tease her as much as she wanted.  
  
Finally, they caught up to David and Valerie. The young pirate had vowed he'd never leave her side again. He even went so far as to say he'd give up his life as a pirate.  
  
Valerie told him, "Return to your ship David. I couldn't live with myself if I was the reason you gave up all of your dreams. Remember how you used to tell me how you'd find a great treasure to bring back to me? Or how you'd destroy all of the monsters so I would be safe?"  
  
"But you said something about an egg," he said.  
  
"Oh, that.I was just being silly," Valerie lied, "I was only dreaming about having an egg. When you fulfil your dreams, then we can talk about mine."  
  
David looked at his friend. He ran to the entrance to the cave and yelled, "I'll be back someday my love. Even if it takes ten, no a hundred years. I'll return as the captain of my own ship with 100 penguins under my wing. When the monsters are all gone. Goodbye, and see you later." Then, he ran through the cave, heading back to the ship.  
  
Valerie sighed as she watched him leave. "I could never live with a pirate. Any day, he might decide to run off to chase his dreams. I'll just hatch the egg myself, it's best for all of us."  
  
Gourry and Lina just watched the scene as it unfolded. This time, Lina taught him how to mysteriously acquire a tub of popcorn for himself, so he didn't take hers. 'Someday, I'll have a love that will allow me to follow my dreams too,' Lina thought, 'Who knows, it may come along at any moment. You never can tell when these things happen.'  
  
Then she felt Gourry grip her hand. But for some reason, she didn't have the will to Fireball him today. Maybe it was watching the two penguins. Or it could be their proximity to the ocean. But for whatever reason, she just allowed herself to lean against his shoulder and relax.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, a little fluff in this chapter. It's not going to be the whole story, Lina'll be back to her Fireballing self before you know it. I just can't pass up a chance to add some romance to a story. 


	13. Ruin Adventure

Ruin Adventure  
  
After coming back from the beach, Lina and Gourry had dinner at a nice café in Geo. Then they went back home, and sat and watched the stars come out. None of the constellations were like the ones they saw back home, and Lina began to wonder how far away they were.  
  
It was late before they decided to go back inside and rest. When they went inside, they found Jerin and Jared had already put themselves to bed. So - - with that out of the way - - they went upstairs to their own room.  
  
* * *  
  
When Gourry awoke then next day, he found Lina pouring over a map she'd acquired in Dominia the other day. It showed the whole area they were in, but had no mention of any of the areas they were familiar with. But one spot did catch Lina's eye. . .the Mindas Ruins.  
  
"I'll bet it's packed with valuable treasures," she exclaimed, "We should go and check it out. I still need to replace all of the treasure that disappeared when we came here."  
  
With that, she grabbed Gourry by the arm, and dragged him outside. Then, she began to concentrate on her powers. Suddenly, they teleported to the ruins.  
  
At the entrance was a worried looking Duelle. When he saw Lina and Gourry, he ran up to them and begged for their help. "Teapo and I came here to pick tea leaves. But we got separated, and now I can't find her. Could you help me look for her."  
  
Lina surprised Gourry by saying, "Sure we'll do it." When she noticed the shocked look on her companion's face, she told him, "These people can't pay us much money. Besides, we're going into the ruins anyway to look for treasure, and we can find her while we're on the hunt."  
  
Gourry agreed with her and then they walked off into the ruins. The whole complex was a maze of doors that opened and closed with the help of the Flowerlings. Flowerlings were little creatures that a Sproutling turns into once in awhile. They have faces that indicate whether it is a male or female, and a collar of flower petals. When Gourry and Lina talked to the Flowerlings in the little courtyards, they would move. Depending on the position of the two Flowerlings in a certain courtyard, the Flowerling at the gate would open or close certain ones.  
  
After some time, they finally arrived at a courtyard with a lone male Flowerling walking alone. When Lina questioned him, he used a special psychic power called Psychonisis. Neither Lina nor Gourry had any clue what it meant - - well, Gourry doesn't usually have a clue anyway - - so they just continued onwards in their search.  
  
Finally, Lina spied a huge structure with a female Flowerling standing next to it. She began to get all excited when Lina talked to her, and opened a trap door on the structure. Seeing it as some kind of tomb that may be filled with treasure, the duo went in.  
  
Inside was many monsters that were either cursed or undead. Even a type of vampire called a Succubus was inside. Lina made quick work of the beasts as Gourry followed close behind. It wasn't long before they came to a huge chamber.  
  
Once they entered the chamber, the gate slammed shut behind them. Lina cautiously stepped forward as Gourry tried to pry the door open. In the center of the chamber, the sorceress spied Teapo lying on the floor and lamenting.  
  
When the teapot got up off the floor, she warned Lina, "There's a giant bloodsucking bat in this place. Watch yerself here."  
  
At once, the bat in question decided to try some of Lina's blood. It was a big mistake, as he was soon Elmekia Lanced across the room by the angry sorceress. When he recovered, the creature turned into a vampire called Count Douvella.  
  
"Blast," he cursed, "First I get a magical creature filled with water, and now a dirty and short tempered human. And a flat chested female without much in the way of looks. Only the blood of a peaceful dove can quench my thirst."  
  
"What did you just say about me?! You should learn never to mess with a sorceress with enough power to blow you to Hell and back fifty times!," she yelled. Then Lina began to chant the words to activate the Dragon Slave. When she finished, the sorceress not only killed the vampire, but had blown up a nice portion of the ruins as well.  
  
* * *  
  
After getting their bearings, Lina and Gourry helped Teapo get back to Duelle. The two friends were happy to be reunited, and decided to go home and have some tea. Teapo just wanted to forget about the whole horrible day.  
  
Of course, nobody there was without injury. Lina had been forced to heal up the other three who had been in the ruins, as they'd all sustained injury from the spell - - even if it had only been falling down from the tremors that came from the explosion. 'What I wouldn't give to have that time reverse spell that Rezo used to fix my hotel room,' she thought, 'It would make this a lot easier.'  
  
After that little mess, the duo returned home to find Jerin and Jared had gotten up. Jared inquired, "Master, what was that loud noise I heard over in the ruins?"  
  
"Nothing," Lina replied. Silently, she added, 'Just the usual punishment for someone who dares insult the Sorceress Supreme.'  
  
"In that case, can we go to the Ulkan Mines? They say that Pokiehl the Bird is recording the heroic exploits of the blacksmith there," he said.  
  
"Sure," Lina replied, "It's about time I gave you another lesson in magic anyway."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another of Lina's acts of random destruction. Told you this wouldn't be 100% romance. Another helpful tip for Jared in the next chapter. 


	14. Missing Blacksmith

Missing Blacksmith  
  
After Lina had packed herself a nice fat lunch, she told Jared, "Well, let's get going now. I'm sure this trip'll be loads of fun."  
  
"Yeah," he agreed.  
  
With that, they went outside and teleported themselves to the mines. Once there, they began to look for the shop of Watts the Blacksmith. Sure enough, once they arrived, they saw a birdman with a hat pulled over his eyes.  
  
"I'm Jared," he began, "I came to listen to the Wisdoms to become a great wizard."  
  
Pokiehl replied, "The Goddess is always watching over us. She wants us to do our best. But to achieve that, you must first learn to love another. Whether it be a parent, sibling, friend or lover. If love is in your heart, you can do anything."  
  
'Goddess?' thought Lina, 'He must be talking about L-Sama.'  
  
"Master Watts is out now. He's probably out there in the mines gathering raw materials. When he comes back, I'll tell you about his heroic exploits," promised Pokiehl.  
  
Now Lina decided then and there to go look for Watts. Not for the stories mind you, but if she helped out, he may give her some precious metals or jewels. Then she could sell them and make a bundle of Lucre. So she and Jared set off.  
  
A little while later, they ran into Duelle, who was himself looking for Watts. "I swear," the onion muttered, "You'd think his shop carried a plague the amount of time he spends away from it." Lina decided it was best just to avoid him, just in case he was still mad about her spell knocking him down earlier that day.  
  
After they'd traveled for awhile, they finally found Watts in a large circular chamber. But he kept yelling at them to leave him alone. Finally, he yelled, "It's dangerous here for the untrained warrior. You should leave now."  
  
As if on cue, a pair of long thick vines with monster flowers came down from the ceiling. It was, in fact, a massive plant demon called Labane, and it looked mad. If Lina or Jared cut one of the flowers off the vine, it would just attack with spells much more powerful than when it was still attached. And if one of the flowers was killed, the vine just regenerated itself.  
  
"It looks like we'll need some serious magic here," Lina told Jared, "You keep it distracted while I charge up my Demon's Blood Talisman. We'll burn this sucker to death." With that, she began to chant as Jared ran back and forth, just trying not to get hit.  
  
Finally, Lina was ready. By increasing the volume of her voice, she signaled Jared to clear out before he was incinerated too. Then, she screamed out, "Blast Bomb." With that, the whole plant was destroyed, leaving no way to regenerate.  
  
Lina ran to Jared to make sure he was all right. When she was certain that he was uninjured, she looked at the blacksmith. He wasn't even scratched. "You should go home," he pleaded, "A terrible monster lives here."  
  
"You should have said that earlier. We've already killed it," Lina replied.  
  
That shocked Watts. For a little boy and young girl to kill such a deadly demon was nearly impossible. But he just hid his emotions, and walked back to the shop.  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, Lina and Jared returned to his shop. Watts was glad to see them. "You're the ones I saw back in the mines. Thanks, the monster had me too scared to move. I feared that if I tried to get home, he'd see me and I'd be his lunch. Let me give you something in return for defeating that awful beast." With that, he produced a golden necklace that Lina gladly accepted.  
  
Pokiehl then spoke up, "Now, let me tell you about Watts's bravery." He took out a music box and laid it on the floor nearby. "Watts. . .a small body under a great helm. He strikes with his hammer, um.and his great helm. Watts, our Watts, your soul is your great helm. Watts, Watts, our Watts. . .you really haven't done very much. The end." He began to laugh like a maniac over his joke, until the Fireball made contact.  
  
"Why'd you fry the Wisdom?" Jared asked.  
  
Lina replied, "He was getting on my nerves. And that's my third lesson. If anyone is just bugging the heck out of you, just hit them the same way I described in my other two lessons."  
  
Jared wrote that down in his notebook. Then he and Lina left the mines. On the way out, they saw a sign that said "Dudbear Express". It was definitely something to look at next time.  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived home, Gourry was waiting. He and Lina went into the orchard to pick some fruit - - and get a snack in the meantime. Then he asked her, "Hey Lina, would you mind going out on a date with me sometime? There must be a place around here we can go to."  
  
"Sure," Lina replied, "And as for a place to go, how about we consult the map?"  
  
So that's what they did. After careful consideration, they decided on Polpota Harbor. It might offer some nice seafood - - prepared differently than just being roasted on a spit over a fire. Besides, maybe they could go swimming.  
  
The date was set for the next day. Lina was wondering exactly what her feelings for her old friend were. Lately, she seemed to feel like they were meant to be - - something she'd never felt before about anyone in her life.  
  
She also questioned why she was still with him if that wasn't the case. Certainly after The Sword of Light was gone she had no reason to stick around with him. But could her original reason just be an excuse so not to show her true feelings?  
  
But now none of that mattered. Lina had plenty of time to sort out these emotions. After all, it couldn't hurt to just take a chance. Who knew, maybe this was what she wanted all along.  
  
- - - -  
  
This next chapter will be the next of what I call "Disaster Dates". Meaning that something is going to go wrong in either the planning or with the area they're in. Just because nothing ever goes right when Lina tries to get some peace and quiet. 


	15. Ghost Mystery

Ghost Mystery  
  
The next day, Lina and Gourry teleported over to Polpota Harbor for their date. Once there, Gourry went to a small flower stand in the market area to buy a bouquet for Lina. When he came back, the swordsman told her about the rumors he heard at the market.  
  
"They were saying that a ghost has appeared at the Seaside Hotel," he said, "It's scaring all of the customers away. But this mermaid girl with purple hair, blue eyes, a green tail, and an orange seashell bra said it was just a trick. Who do you believe?"  
  
"I think we should take a look for ourselves. Maybe they'll be some money in it for us," she answered. So they set off for the hotel.  
  
Once there, they saw a bony ghost appear, scaring the managers. One of them told the other, "We need to think fast. Someone must find out what the ghost wants if we're to ever get our business back. I mean, who isn't scared of ghosts?"  
  
Lina took that as her cue. "I can offer my services to figuring out the truth behind the ghost. I'm sure we can figure out what he wants."  
  
"Thank you," the manager replied, "We'll reward you when you figure it out."  
  
* * *  
  
So they began to investigate the town for clues to what was going on. At the beach area, they met an Imperial Soldier named Thoma who was investigating an Imperial Ship that sunk nearly two weeks earlier. Apparently, it had been a fair weather day, so there was no cause for it to do so. So the Empire had sent out a scout to figure it out.  
  
Back at the hotel, they met Basket Fish. He was a fish man much like Noonsa - - which got Lina a little freaked. Recently, he'd inherited an incredible fortune, and was spending it on watching the local dancer Revanshe. Although the dancer hated him because he was such a lecher, the management didn't stop him from seeing the show, as he was their only source of revenue.  
  
Finally they headed for the café near the hotel - - where they were supposed to have their date. On the way, they ran into Inspector Boyd. He told them, "I came here because the hotel received a note from Zeril saying she would steal the Blue Eye. If you see anyone with blue eyes, tell me." "The Mermaid?" asked Gourry.  
  
"Oh, cheerful Ms. Dies," Boyd replied, "No, her eyes are green."  
  
"How about the dancer?" Lina inquired.  
  
Boyd shook his head. "I'm afraid that Revanshe's eyes are gray."  
  
Lina then stated, "The only other person I could bet on was the Imperial Soldier, since his eyes are covered by his helmet."  
  
"Where's the soldier?" inquired the Inspector.  
  
At once, Thoma came from the direction of the café. Suddenly Boyd gave him his card. "I've just uncovered a clue regarding the sinking ship and the hotel ghost. I'll bet Zeril sunk the ship in order to get any Jumi in service of the Empire to come looking for it. Then she's playing ghost in order to steal the cores off of any of the ones that came."  
  
Everyone sweatdropped. "Well, we can always just ask Basket Fish. His jewel is supposed to see everything that goes on under the sea. I heard it from some penguins over at the café," Thoma said. With that, they all went into the lounge.  
  
At first, Basket Fish was reluctant to show them the jewel. But when Revanshe asked as well, he conceded. He pulled out the jewel, and the vision began.  
  
The Imperial Ship was sailing to Polpota, Thoma's brother Thona acting as captain. Suddenly, a Sea Hag flew by, singing her song. The sailors all fell asleep instantly. With no one to keep it afloat, the ship began to sink.  
  
Back in the real world, Thoma, Gourry, Lina, and Revanshe stopped staring at the jewel. "So," the soldier mused, "A Sea Hag sunk it. I will bring the information back to our lord."  
  
Suddenly, the ghost appeared. "The truth of our death, give me the Blue Eye," he yelled. With that, he grabbed the stone from Basket Fish's hands, and ran off.  
  
When the inspector re-entered, he found the room in chaos. Lina immediately told him what happened. "Blast the Jewel Hunter," he moaned, "I knew she was behind this." Basket Fish just sat crying in the corner.  
  
* * *  
  
For their efforts in stopping the ghost, the manager rewarded the duo with 5,000 Lucre. But Lina wasn't happy. Not because of the money they did get, but because of all of the time that they wasted when she and Gourry should have been on their date.  
  
"Lina," Gourry whispered, "We still have some time left until we have to go home. How about we make this a candle light dinner date?"  
  
Lina's eyes brightened. So she and Gourry went to the café. There, they ordered everything on the menu and waited for the food to come. When it did come, they went strait to eating, not bothering to stop for five seconds to talk.  
  
It was very late when they returned home. Again, Jerin and Jared had already put themselves to bed, not wanting to wait up for them. So Gourry and Lina returned to their own room, and went to bed to dream about what they'd do tomorrow.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, some more romance, mostly trouble. Lina and Gourry sure have their work cut out for them. 


	16. Freedom

Freedom  
  
The next day, Lina and Gourry went over to Lumina to tell Mina how well the experiments in teleportation had worked out. But she wasn't at home. Instead, they found Imperial soldiers in the residential district of town. It turned out, they were looking for Mina because they wanted to find the Siren who sank the ship.  
  
Lina and Gourry hightailed it to Polpota on the double. They figured that if she had been the one to sink the ship, she'd have to have a place nearby to go to. Near the café, they finally found her standing as if she was waiting for someone.  
  
"I came to see my friend Dies and my cousin Nina," she told them, "But I can't find either of them. Dies lives by the beach, so I could see why she isn't around, but Nina resides here in Polpota. She never leaves town unless I invite her over to my place."  
  
Suddenly, a pair of soldiers came over to her. "We've got you now. You'll pay for sinking one of our ships you rotten Sea Hag," they said, using the derogatory slang for Siren.  
  
Mina yelled, "Excuse me! I haven't sunk any ships. In fact, I haven't even been in Polpota for several months. What's going on here?"  
  
At that time, another soldier entered. He informed the others, "We've already got the Siren who sank the ship. So just leave her be for now."  
  
"Dang, I won't get my reward," one of Mina's tormenters groaned.  
  
"Punishing one Siren is enough," the third soldier reminded them, "It sends a clear signal to the others that we won't tolerate our ships being sunk. We've locked her in a birdcage lighthouse out at the Mandora Beach. Tropacallo's guarding her to prevent escapes."  
  
"Won't other Sirens hate us?" inquired the second.  
  
The third shook his head. "We're not killing it, just giving her a place to sing without harming the ships. Besides, this all happens because they go around sinking ships. We always can win if we chase them to dry land." With that, the soldiers left.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina, Gourry, and Mina ran strait away to the lighthouse. At the door was the mermaid Gourry had seen at the harbor. Mina flew up high and saw the Siren being held prisoner inside. "Nina, so it was you who they captured," she exclaimed, "No wonder I couldn't find you. And Dies is gone because she came to keep you company."  
  
"I deserve it for sinking the ship. Here, I won't harm anybody and can sing to my hearts content. Besides, I'm not going to be hunted in here," Nina replied.  
  
Mina begged, "You can't stay in there forever, you've got to free yourself. Dies, let her go outside. She can't just live like this."  
  
Dies shook her head. "There are too many soldiers out there. I can't let a friend face danger like that. Besides, You, Nina, and I are no match for Tropicallo."  
  
"These people can help," Mina told her, "They mastered the Dudbear language just to help me sell my lamps. They're strong and can protect Nina."  
  
"No, I still can't trust them no matter what. People who have shown to be friendly in the past may turn on you in the future," she replied.  
  
"I won't try to convince you anymore. But it's pretty hot out, so don't get too much sun today Dies." With that, Mina flew behind the cage.  
  
Gourry and Lina also hid behind the rocks. Lina had figured out Mina's plan from the start. If Dies thought they were all gone, she'd go to cool off in the ocean. Then they could sneak in and rescue Nina. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Dies teleported off.  
  
Gourry and Lina charged the door of the lighthouse. Inside was a plant monster much like the one Lina and Jared faced in the mines. But this time, Lina couldn't just Blast Bomb it. If she tried that, she'd probably burn the whole cage down along with herself, Gourry, and Nina.  
  
So she told Gourry, "Just keep out of the way. I'm going to freeze it with my Ly Briem spell. Then, you rush in and cut it right in half."  
  
So Gourry began to run to the back of the room. Lina then cast Ly Briem on Tropicallo, and he was instantly frozen. Then Gourry rushed in and cut the monster in half. It was almost amazing to watch as a blade was able to cut solid ice right in half without shattering it.  
  
The beast began to moan from within his icy prison. Suddenly, the earth shook as it began to convulse. Finally, it shuttered and died.  
  
* * *  
  
They went up to the next floor to see Nina. Sure enough, the Siren was uninjured. Lina could see that she had long blond hair and blue eyes. Her dress was long and white and she had on golden high heels. Gold bands adorned her arms, as well as a golden tiara. On her back, was a pair of flowing golden wings.  
  
"Nina, you're free now," Mina exclaimed.  
  
Nina told her, "Yes, I can see. But I'm just fine staying here. I'm afraid of what the soldiers will do to me. I guess I'm a coward."  
  
Mina shook her head. "You're not a coward. You can stay in here and sing as much as you want. And you can come out to visit you friends too. You're free Nina."  
  
Suddenly, Dies appeared. "I knew it was a bad idea to leave my post," she grumbled, "You planned that all along, didn't you."  
  
"It's ok Dies. I can go out now to do things, but can still come back here to the safety of this cage to sing. That way, I won't sink ships, but can still have fun," Nina replied.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we've rescued another poor soul from torment. Nina, if you were wondering, is the main heroine of the Breath of Fire series. And Dies (or Bleu in the first two games) is a woman with a snake's body who either helps fight for the party or has some other connection to them. 


	17. Rocking the Boat

Rocking the Boat  
  
The next day, Lina teleported to the beach in order to pick up Nina. They two of them were going to talk about magic at the café in Polpota. Nina, like most Sirens, was a strong sorceress. So they decided to compare and contrast the spells in their arsenal.  
  
After teleporting to the harbor, they went to the café. There, they saw Gilbert sitting at a table and playing his guitar. When he looked back, he was shocked.  
  
"Oh, a Siren. How much like Mina you are," he said.  
  
Nina replied, "I'm her cousin. I'm guessing that you are Gilbert, her old boyfriend. My name is Nina, it is nice to meet you."  
  
Gilbert's heart began to beat quickly. "My dear, you are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Please allow me to treat you to dinner."  
  
"No thank you," Nina told him, "I have to go home." With that, she flew off to teleport back to her home at the beach.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina followed her back home, only to see Mina and Dies talking with Nina. "You should just avoid him. He's just looking for a good time," Dies warned.  
  
Nina replied, "But he isn't a bad person, he's just a bit eccentric."  
  
"Amen to that," Mina echoed.  
  
Suddenly, they heard Gilbert singing outside. Everyone began to wonder how he figured out where Nina lived. When the singing stopped, he called, "Nina my love, come outside for a bit. I want to talk to you."  
  
Nina sighed. "He won't shut up," she said, "I might as well go see him now. Besides, I might find myself a nice romance in the works." Then she went outside and Lina followed.  
  
The two of them talked as they watched the horizon. Suddenly Gilbert saw a ship not far off, and decided to go there. Although Nina was reluctant, she went anyway, mentally vowing not to sing a note while on it.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm home Gourry," Lina yelled. He came right downstairs to see her.  
  
"How was your visit with Nina?" Gourry asked.  
  
Lina answered, "She went to a ship with Gilbert. It looks like a romance in the making. Let's go see what's going on."  
  
Gourry didn't ask any questions. He just followed Lina outside. Then she teleported them to the ship - - which turned out to belong to the pirates.  
  
* * *  
  
When they came, they saw Nina telling Gilbert why she couldn't sing while on the ship. Gilbert was arguing with her, telling her that it was her nature and she can't help it if ships sink. Nina thought how much like Mina he was sounding.  
  
After getting bored, Lina went to talk with the Captain. But while there, she heard him discussing a plan to sell Nina and Gilbert to a circus. Shocked by this statement, Lina immediately ran to warn the two of them of these matters.  
  
When she arrived, she saw Gilbert unconscious, and Nina flying in the air. She was getting mad at them for this. 'Here it comes, if my guess is correct, she's going to cast a destructive spell on them at any time now,' Lina thought.  
  
But instead of casting a spell, Nina began to sing. The pirates began to freak out as destruction reigned all over the ship. Parts of the engine began to explode, and the mast came down.  
  
Suddenly, a giant whale monster attacked the ship. Lina and Gourry ran up to the deck and began to fight. As Gourry slashed with Dragon's Breath, Lina began to charge up. She then yelled, "Digger Volt." Since water monsters are weak against thunder, it fell instantly.  
  
* * *  
  
The pirates surrounded Nina and began to blame her for the destruction that had been caused. Nina told them, "Well, I wouldn't have had to do that if you'd just left Gilbert alone."  
  
At that time, Capt'n Tusk came down the stairs. "You buffoons," he yelled, "You can't destroy a ship by just singing. Go on lass, sing to your heart's content."  
  
Again Nina began to sing, and again things began to break. As the pirates freaked out again, their captain stayed calm. "You morons know this happens everyday," he reminded them. "Oh," they all chorused, "That's right."  
  
* * *  
  
"Thank you, I had a great time. But you're not the type of guy I'm looking for in a committed relationship," Nina confessed.  
  
Gilbert replied, "I'm sorry to hear that. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me my sweet Siren." Then he walked off.  
  
Nina sighed. "Well, I better get home. At least now I've figured out that it isn't my fault that the ship sank. If those soldiers hadn't allowed themselves to fall asleep as I sang, the ship would still be in the water today."  
  
Lina smiled. Then she and Gourry returned home. They arrived right before dinner. So they all had a nice big meal out of the food that they'd grown or hunted. After that, they spent a quiet night around the house, and went to bed.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another mystery solved. I also added the rules of RPG magic. Usually electric attacks beat water, water cools fire, fire melts ice, earth can't hit flying enemies, wind hits earth hard, ect. It comes in handy when trying to find a spell for Lina to use. And everyone teleports because they all got those lamps from Mina too. Much easier than making a longer timeline so they can travel to a place that's a week away from home. 


	18. Waiting By the Water

Waiting By the Water  
  
Lina decided to take a trip to Gato when she got up the next day. It was early, and the morning dew still hung from the trees. Not wanting to wake up Gourry or the kids, she snuck outside quietly. Then, she teleported to the temple community.  
  
When she got there, she went to a nearby store in hopes of finding a good deal on some things for the family. There she spied her old friend Gobi looking at the wares. He then proceeded to sell some things to the shop owner.  
  
"Hey Gobi, long time no see," Lina said.  
  
The merchant turned around to see his old friend. "Hello Lina. I'm going to the waterfall to pick Greenballs. You roll them up in little leaves and make Greenball Buns. They're a delicacy in several parts of the world. But I need a bodyguard to get through the dungeon because of the dangerous monsters that live there. Would you mind helping me get to the waterfall? I trust your strength since you beat up that giant monster on the highway."  
  
"Sure I will," Lina replied, "I have nothing better to do with my day. Besides, I can work on the use of my sword, just in case my magic fails."  
  
Gobi told her, "Then we'll head on out right away. We must get there before any other merchants come around to claim them."  
  
'What other merchants?' mused Lina.  
  
* * *  
  
They began their journey through the dungeon on a good note. Since Lina had come through here before, she knew what to expect from the monsters. So even without Gourry's sword to help her, she was destroying them all.  
  
Gobi was a pretty decent fighter for a simple merchant. It was probably attributed to the fact that he encountered monsters frequently on his journey. But even with the power and range of the spear, he couldn't mach the fighting ability of Gourry.  
  
Finally, they arrived at the waterfall. Gobi immediately ran around the area hoping to grab as many Greenballs as he could. Lina just sat on a rock and watched as he worked. It was really quite boring, and she nearly fell asleep.  
  
Her mind began to wander to the beauty of the area in hopes of staying awake. It looked like a pastel picture coming right out of a children's storybook. Just like a place where the hero would take his lady for their first date after saving her from a giant dragon or monster. They would then kiss, and live happily ever after.  
  
Lina thought a lot about fairy tales. She had always wanted a storybook romance, but done in reverse. By that, she wanted to be the one who rescued the handsome young man from peril, and not the other way around. Also, she wanted her man to travel with her instead of bringing her back to a castle forever. If he was a prince who'd let her go on an adventure, that would be a nice addition. She could have the thrill of adventure, but still have the comforts of a castle to go home to.  
  
Suddenly, a fairy appeared above the log bridge. She curiously watched on as Gobi ran around picking up the Greenballs and Lina watched. It was as if she was in a trance.  
  
Lina approached the fairy in order to find why she had come. The creature softly asked the young sorceress, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Waiting for Gobi to finish," Lina replied.  
  
Suddenly Gobi tried to cross the bridge. But when he saw Lina standing there, he could go no further. "Hey, you're blocking the way," he told her, "What in the name of the Goddess are you doing on the bridge anyway?"  
  
"Talking to a fairy," Lina answered.  
  
Gobi looked shocked. "How can you see fairies? They live in another dimension and don't show themselves to us. You're pulling my leg."  
  
Lina Fireballed him. "You should listen when the Sorceress Supreme tells you that she sees fairies," she informed him.  
  
Gobi replied, "Well, here's your reward for helping me get to the waterfall. So please don't hurt me again." With that, he gave her a Greenball Bun.  
  
"Then don't question me again," Lina yelled.  
  
* * *  
  
When Lina got home, she saw Gourry looking over the map on the floor. He was apparently looking for something to do or somewhere to go. When he saw Lina, his smile brightened.  
  
"I saw an interesting place on the map," he informed her, "It's an old Junkyard that is supposedly filled with magical artifacts. Maybe we can find some magic for you to play with."  
  
Lina Fireballed him too. "Gourry, if the items are in a Junkyard, they're probably broken beyond repair. What use could I have for them?"  
  
"I just wanted to help," he whispered.  
  
Lina sighed, and said, "Alright Gourry, we'll go to the Junkyard if it'll make you happy. We can leave right away."  
  
So they went to tell Jerin and Jared where they'd be. Then they went outside. Gourry held onto her hand, and they teleported to the Junkyard.  
  
- - - -  
  
We're sure getting into trouble a lot, aren't we? Well, they're gonna have a field day in the next chapter. 


	19. Cursed Junkyard

Cursed Junkyard  
  
Gourry and Lina arrived at the Junkyard, only to hear the whispers of the souls of the magical dolls that resided there. They were all afraid that the duo had come to use their powers for war, just like in ancient times. A scan of the area revealed these spirits to all be from teddy bears, wooden dolls, jack in the boxes, and rocking horses.  
  
Above the ground hovered a doll with a jester's hat on and a scarf around her neck. But below the neck, was just empty space. She surveyed the area, and told the two humans, "Leave this place now. The toys do not think kindly of your race."  
  
"No one threatens Lina Inverse," Lina yelled, "I might be mad enough to blow them up or burn them to a crisp if they do."  
  
The doll looked taken back. "You've come to steal our powers. We've had enough fighting, so just leave us alone." She then flew off.  
  
"Let's go Gourry. We've got to find out what's going on here," she said. Then they began to head through the Junkyard, searching for information.  
  
A jack in the box nearby informed them, "If you want to see the manager of the Junkyard, follow me, the bear, the doll, the jack in the box, and the rocking horse in that order."  
  
Lina thought about his cryptic clue for a moment. Then she got it. 'He probably means the toys lying on the ground. Each path is marked by a toy, and if we follow those paths, we'll find where to go.' With that, she grabbed Gourry's arm, and dragged him through the Junkyard.  
  
* * *  
  
After some time, they arrived at the room of Louie, a doll who was the manager of the toys in the Junkyard. He was wrapped full body in a blue scarf with designs on it, and had a winter hat on his head of the same color and designs. When he saw the humans, he asked the two of them, "What do you want in the Junkyard?"  
  
"We're looking for magic amulets and jewels," Lina answered, "We have no intention of using the toys for battle as they're claiming."  
  
"The war hasn't ended in their hearts," Louie lamented.  
  
Gourry inquired, "What do you mean?"  
  
"The war between men and fairies," Louie replied, "You see, the toys were made to do battle with the Fairy King. But after the war, they were discarded here, where they still sit and lament about how they lived on the battlefield. They also believe that the war isn't over, and that any day now humans will return to bring them back to the battlefield."  
  
"That's sad," Lina said.  
  
Louie then asked, "May I have a favor? Can you go to Magnolia's place in the northern part of the Junkyard? You must see what she's up too, since she thinks you're here for our power. All you have to do is leave my room and follow the bear in the south, jack in the box, and doll to open the path to the north west at the Acropolis of Trash near my room. Then take that new path and head east around the trash blocking the way."  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Gourry began to follow Louie's directions. Soon they had circled back around to the Acropolis. Sure enough, a path had opened to the northeast. They followed that path, and circled around a large trash pile. Then they headed east.  
  
After a little while, they found the girl doll they'd met at the entrance to the Junkyard. "Are you Magnolia?" inquired Lina.  
  
"Yes," she replied, "I will help the toys rise up, and get their revenge on the foolish humans in this world. No one can stop me now."  
  
Lina threatened, "If you try it, you'll regret it. Remember what I told you before. I'm more than capable of burning you to a crisp here and now."  
  
Magnolia just laughed. "Nothing can stand up to the might of my army. Arise, toy warriors, arise and crush these foolish humans."  
  
With that, a pair of dolls, a jack in the box, and a rocking horse began to transform into monsters. They advanced on the warriors, hoping to kill even just one of the hated humans. All the while, Magnolia just hovered above and laughed.  
  
Lina began to laugh as well. "This is it?!" she exclaimed, "This is your almighty army. You insult my power by sending them." With that, she Fireballed them all, stopping each one.  
  
Magnolia fumed. "You may have won today human, but next time you won't be so lucky. We'll destroy you for what you did to us," she yelled. Then, she flew away.  
  
* * *  
  
Back at Louie's room, they all had some tea that the manager kept around for guests. The old doll began to sigh at Magnolia's foolishness. But he told them, "All is well with the outcome of the fight. You see, the toys believe that if they die they'll be released from their warring hearts. So both sides actually won the battle today."  
  
Lina smiled. But then she sighed. "There wasn't even a gem for me to find here, only toys," she said, "I guess we can go to Geo and purchase some."  
  
"Let's go right now Lina, then maybe we can go to that café again," Gourry replied. So that's what they decided to do. But first they went home to tell Jerin and Jared where they would be. Then, they left the Junkyard behind, hoping to never have to come back there again for the rest of their lives.  
  
- - - -  
  
Yup, more magic for Lina to find. This was one of the most annoying quests in the whole game, since it involved following paths. And if you didn't know the toys could talk, you wouldn't know where to go, and would have to rely on blind luck. 


	20. The Day the Kids Rebelled

The Day the Kids Rebelled  
  
After telling the kids where they'd be, Lina and Gourry left immediately for Geo. Once there, they went to the café in order to get some food for thought before looking in at the magic. But something was wrong. Even though it was a school day - - they knew that because Jerin had told them the schedule of who was teaching when and what days they had off the other day - - kids were milling about the café, and Miss Kathinja was lounging around looking bored.  
  
Near Kathinja, they spied Gilbert, guitar in hand. He was apparently trying to make a date with the teacher, and was failing miserably. But her rejections just made him more determined.  
  
"I feel so warm around you my sweet," Gilbert admitted, "It's the flame of love in my heart bursting and sending the emotion throughout my body."  
  
Kathinja informed him, "Look, I'm part basilisk. If you look into my eyes, you'll turn to stone. So you can't be feeling love."  
  
"I can't run from you, my legs are unable to function when you're near," Gilbert said.  
  
Kathinja sighed. "That's not love, it's preliminary petrification. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go. My kids are all boycotting school and I must get them back to class."  
  
"I'll help you, my sweet," Gilbert told her, "I'll make sure every one of your students come back to you, and then we can go on a date."  
  
"Whatever, just leave me be," Kathinja yelled. Then she left to head back to the academy for a conference with the other teachers."  
  
Gilbert came up to Gourry and Lina. "Oh, you're the ones who helped me in Lumina and on the S.S. Buccaneer. Again, I need your help. Convince the students to all go back to their classes, so I can go and see my beloved," he begged.  
  
Lina replied, "Sure I will. I'm a sorceress, so I know the value of a good magic education. I can always tell them about my adventures, and chalk it up to studying hard."  
  
With that, she began to talk to the kids at the café. She managed to convince them to return to school in no time. They seemed to be more or less the bored ones who just wanted something to do, and defying authority is usually exciting.  
  
Their next stop was the mall in the center of town. Only about two kids were actually outside, the others had gone into the nearby shops. So Lina began with the two that were walking around. Soon they were ready to go back.  
  
In the coffee shop, they found another small group. Lina began to talk to them as Gourry looked around. He found a beautiful potted plant in the center for decoration. Suddenly, something shiny in the pot caught his eye. But when he examined it, the manager of the shop - - a magical teapot like Teapo - - came over and started to yell at him.  
  
As for the students, they took little convincing. But one of them just told Lina a long story and decided to go back to class right after shooting her mouth off. 'This girl has more energy than Amelia, scary concept,' Lina thought.  
  
After finishing there, Lina went over to the instrument shop. This was the place that had sent the two of them free samples of their eight instruments - - two drums, two flutes, two marimbas, and two harps. Inside was only three more students, who were quickly convinced to return to school.  
  
But that wasn't all of the students. After thinking where the others were, Lina decided to try the Academy itself. Sure enough, she found one standing by the door to the classroom. He was apparently waiting for his class to start, as he hadn't realized there was a boycott.  
  
Finally, they found a group in the library downstairs. Most of them were just horsing around with the exception of a tall green haired girl standing by Nunuzac - - a teacher whose body was trapped in another dimension, and was now represented by a magic circle made out of metal. But it took little time to convince the final group to return to class.  
  
With that done, Gilbert again tried his luck with Kathinja. But again she rejected him. And when he still didn't take a hint, she turned him to stone. Lina didn't have a spell to cure that one, so they just left and headed for the Academy again. There, Lina purchased a magical ring that allowed her to shoot elemental beams just by thinking it.  
  
* * *  
  
Back at home, Lina pulled out her map of the world. She began to scan for a place to go for a nice picnic with Gourry. Her first thought was the Tower of Lieres. It looked like a fancy tower, and she could imagine she was having dinner with a handsome prince if they found the right room.  
  
Next she thought of the Macabre Tombstone. It could be quite a nice place for a haunted picnic. Especially since sometimes scary things turned out fun.  
  
She went and talked to Gourry about this idea. "We'll have to check both places out first," she told him, "How about if Moon GS and I go to the Tombstone, while you go to Lieres. You do know how to teleport by now, do you?"  
  
Gourry shook his head. So Lina brought him outside for a lesson. Several hours - - and countless Fireballs - - later, he had finally figured it out.  
  
The next day, each of them went outside to head for their respective destinations. Before leaving, Gourry kneeled down and kissed Lina's hand - - as he'd heard knights in fairy tales do. "Take care my fair lady, for we shall. . .ummmmm. . .what was the next line?" he inquired.  
  
Lina sighed. 'Well, it was an attempt at imitating a knight in shining armor. He's so wrapped up in this chivalry stuff. But you'd have to admit, it is cute.'  
  
With that, they were both off for their respective destinations. But neither warrior knew that an evil forces was brewing, attempting to gain advantage of the fact that a powerful sorceress and warrior had crossed the dimensions into this world. Now that they were apart, it was time to make his move and bring forth his evil plan.  
  
- - - -  
  
I've certainly set the eerie factor up a notch. We'll see who this evil is, and what he wants with our heroes in a little while. It's quite an exciting part of the story. 


	21. Death Emperor

Death Emperor  
  
As Lina approached the Macabre Tombstone, nothing seemed to be amiss. It was jut an ordinary gravestone. Lina read the inscription on the tomb, "Here lies the souls of all of those who have died throughout the ages. Do not disturb their rest, if you wish to live long."  
  
While she was reading, she felt something sharp cut into her back. As she fell to the ground, she heard the words, "Warrior, I shall now test your strength," coming from behind her. The last thing the young sorceress saw before blacking out was the blurry image of a violet-eyed humanoid dragon with short black hair. * * *  
  
Some time later, she awoke in a cave with reddish walls. The only odd thing was the entrance seemed to be a hole in the roof. Lina knew that was no problem for a sorceress like herself. So she immediately yelled, "Raywing." But nothing happened.  
  
"You can't use any of your powers anymore," a voice stated, "They are essences of life, while we are in the home of the dead."  
  
Lina turned around to see the dragon she'd seen above ground. Now that she could see him more clearly, she made out his features much easier. He had on light brown pants and a plate or armor made out of a dark brown metal. His shoes were white with brown soles. An orange tail with spiky yellow scales on top came out of his pants. The color of his arms, ears, and what appeared to be a neck frill but was attached to the top of his head were the same as that of his tail. Golden hoops were on each ear. His face was the color of a human's but the mouth and nose were more like some type of animal.  
  
"It's good to see you've awoken, you've been sleeping for two hours," he informed her.  
  
Lina yelled, "Listen mister, you better tell me who you are, where I am, and why I'm in this wacky cave to begin with."  
  
"My name is Leon, Dragoon servant of the Dragon Emperor Kronos," he said, "You are in the Underworld. I brought you here in order to test your strength."  
  
"You mean, I'm. . ." Lina started. But then, Leon nodded his head. 'It can't be. I'm way too young to die. Oh, Gourry, Jerin, Jared, I'm sorry.'  
  
"Come," Leon demanded, "You may be able to return to the living world. But first, I must see what you're capable of. You can still hold onto nonliving and dead objects, but you are unable to touch a living person unless it's with a weapon. Use your sword and pass my test."  
  
* * *  
  
In order to go to the bottom levels of the Underworld, it was necessary for Lina to receive something called The Baptism of Flame. She was forced to ask for the help of the Wisdom Olbohn, who ruled the Underworld. With it, she and Leon descended into the depths of the Underworld.  
  
Sometime later, Lina and Leon came to a room. Inside was a monster called Hitodama. It looked like a flying face surrounded by a white mist. Lina grabbed Dragon's Breath, and ran at the monster. Even though her swordsmanship was small when compared to Gourry's, she could still hold her own. It was as if her idea to not use her magic while fighting with Gobi that time really paid off. Besides, she could still use the magic in the ring she purchased in Geo, as well as any of the instruments. Soon the demon went down.  
  
"Amazing," Leon exclaimed, "You aren't even using your regular style of fighting since you're primarily a sorceress."  
  
"How did you know?" Lina asked.  
  
Leon replied, "I had to look into your mind to see if you were a worthy candidate. Now, we must go and see my master."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at the bottom, they saw a blond man with red eyes standing before them. He had on a sand colored turban with a red jewel on it, as well as a red robe with a yellow stripe by the opening. His belt was gold with a ruby on it, and he wore leather boots.  
  
"Master Kronos," Leon began, "I've finally found the other warrior. She is a sorceress, but was able to beat Hitodama without her powers."  
  
"Good work Leon," Kronos congratulated. Then he turned to Lina. "I brought you here to see if you would like to help me. You see, a long time ago I was the Emperor of Dragons. But then three others coveted my power. They stole the three Mana Stones from me, and cursed me to wander the Underworld as a human."  
  
Leon continued, "That's where you come in. I need a partner to help me hunt down those dragons and find the Mana Stones. If we come into contact with thee of them, and then have a certain Dragon spell cast on us, we can return to life. We must also send some power to Kronos, who will be able to revive instantly. Then he can bring us back. Either way, you must cooperate, because if you are down here too long, you will fade away into the form of a Shadole, and have no conscious will."  
  
Lina thought that something smelt fishy about all of this. But she didn't want to become one of those crazy creatures. So she said, "Sure I will. Just as long as I can come back to life in the end. I have someone waiting for me back home."  
  
Leon thought about what she had said. 'She is just like me. Only, her loved one must be more understanding than mine. I know I'll hear from her while doing this. She isn't just gonna let me go through with this, no matter what my reason.'  
  
With that, Lina and Leon returned to the surface. Only, as a half spirit - -as pre-Shadole dead are often called - - Lina still couldn't access her magic. She was thus forced to live with using only her sword, ring and instruments in battle. Hopefully it would all be resolved soon. 'And then, I will be able to return home and spend some time with Gourry and the twins.'  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, here's an exciting twist. Here marks the part where we'll be checking in with both Lina and Gourry in turn, as each is going to be going on different quest sets. Oh and Leon is a character in Tales of Destiny who was forced to join the side of evil for the sake of a woman he cared about - - mostly as a mother figure, but, depending on who you ask, she may also be something more too. Kronos was the ancient King of Atherians who perished in a war 1,000 years prior to the game. Lina's section is mostly going to be meeting ToD characters. In this section also, each Dragon has at least one Dragoon to serve them and fight for them. Kind of a tradition in the world. 


	22. Lost Past

Lost Past  
  
While Kronos and Leon were throwing Lina into the Underworld, Gourry was at the Tower of Lieres. At the front gate, he saw Teefa sitting, lost in thought again. When she saw him behind her, she let out a gasp.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked, "Where's Rooks? Are you lost again?"  
  
Teefa nodded. "Something in this tower is calling to me. Will you come along?"  
  
"Of course I will. No true gentleman can ever let a defenseless kid go into a dangerous place all by herself," he replied.  
  
Teefa decided to let that kid mark slide. After all, it was fifteen years ago that she'd met Rooks after collapsing in the desert and losing her memory. He'd told her then that a Jumi never aged, and that she could be anywhere from fifteen to fifteen hundred. It was also widely known that a certain legendary knight - - who hadn't been seen since she went on a secret mission for the benefit of their race - - was several thousands of years old, but looked to be in her early to mid twenties.  
  
They entered the tower and began their climb. Inside it was fancily furnished, just as Lina predicted. But monsters lurked around every corner. So Teefa stayed close to Gourry, occasionally fending off an attacker with her staff. She also had a grasp of healing spells - - just like all Jumi Guardians. But since the spells did nothing for a Jumi's core, she tried to avoid combat as much as possible, or block with her arm.  
  
After some time, they found a large door on the eleventh floor of the tower. By this time, Gourry was panting from the climb. But Teefa was energized at the hope of finding out about her true identity. So she opened the door and went in, with Gourry following close behind.  
  
Inside, they saw a young woman who had the same hair and eyes as Teefa. Her core was a black pearl, and rested on her forehead. She had on a black dress with a medium length skirt that ruffled at the bottom. She had big shoulder sleeves that were bordered with read. Black high heels, black gauntlets and a black choker also adorned her body.  
  
"You're the Guardian?!" exclaimed Teefa, "Tell me, who am I?"  
  
The woman ignored her and summoned an Iron Centaur. Gourry immediately began to wish Lina was there. She'd kill it in five seconds flat with a powerful magical spell. But since Teefa was unable to cause any destruction, he'd have to win with his sword alone.  
  
Gourry ran at the beast, and slashed it with Dragon's Claw. He ran at it again and again, wearing it down to nothing. Teefa took cover on a throne in the back of the room, and was healing him whenever he needed it.  
  
Eventually, the beast was killed. Teefa jumped off the throne and began to cheer. Just then, Rooks walked in, looking for her.  
  
"Can I go with Gourry to the bottom, please, pretty please Rooks," she begged.  
  
Rooks sighed, but then consented. "Take her to the bottom of the tower. But if anything happens to Teefa while you're with her.I'll kill you." Then, he went on ahead.  
  
* * *  
  
They started down the tower right away. It was much easier now that Teefa knew the way and could remind Gourry. He hoped to get there in no time and return home to Lina.  
  
At the bottom, Teefa saw a note fall from the ceiling. When she went to pick it up, Zeril came down on her grappling hook. "I've wanted to meet you Teefa," she said.  
  
Just then, the young Jumi began to scream. After Zeril sweatdropped, she sent out her Jewel Beast at them. It looked like a large ball with a head that resembled a claw on a neck that looked like a bony arm. Like last time, Gourry ran at it, and began to fight in order to protect Teefa.  
  
Soon, the beast was dead. Zeril then commented, "What a partner you have Teefa. I'll leave you alone today, but next time your core will be mine." With that, she left.  
  
"I better go," Teefa told him, "Rooks will yell at me again. But promise me something, if Rooks either gets a new Guardian or dies, please protect me. I'll be a sitting duck without a knight around." Then, she too left.  
  
* * *  
  
"Lina, I'm home," Gourry called. But when he entered, he only saw Jerin and Jared playing a game on the floor. "Where's Lina? Isn't she home yet?"  
  
"No," Jerin told him, "You're the first one to come back."  
  
Jared added, "I'm sure Mistress Lina'll be home soon. I still need to find three Wisdoms."  
  
* * *  
  
But when she didn't return the next day, Gourry began to worry. Lina was only going to a graveyard. It couldn't take as long to explore that as it had taken Gourry to explore the tower. So why was she so late?  
  
It didn't take even Gourry much longer to realize what must be done. If Lina was lost or hurt, he must find out where she is. So he decided to go and ask around in bars around the world. Maybe a traveler had seen her pass through.  
  
Gourry went into the library and grabbed a picture of Lina off the desk. He then woke up Liger 0 in order to have a partner for the search. With one last look at Moon GS's empty corral, he went back to tell the twins of his plan.  
  
"I'm going to Dominia to see if I can find her," Gourry told the twins. With that, he teleported to the town, and went to the bar.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, now Gourry's worried. I've plans for their reunion, but that'll come much later. First, we need Lina to go and fight the three Dragons and return to life. Then we can have a little romantic reunion. Little note, originally Teefa's character couldn't do anything but duck and recover her HP. But in this one, I'll allow her to use the healing powers from Arcana, even though she can't heal a core with them. 


	23. Wind Dweller

Wind Dweller  
  
After leaving the Underworld, Lina and Leon headed for the Norn Peaks. Luckily, Lina happened to still have the magic lamp on her since her teleportation powers were also gone. Once there, a female Dragoon jumped and attacked Leon with a pair of knives.  
  
Lina looked at the girl. She had gray fur all over her body. Like Leon, her eyes were violet and her hair was black. Unlike Leon, whose ears stuck out of the sides of his head, her ears were on the top. A golden horn adorned her forehead. She wore a purple fur shirt, with a white fur external bra with a golden cord on top. A golden belt was around her waist with a small piece of armor hanging down in the front. She had on golden shoulder guards, golden boots, and golden arm guards. Her skirt was made of shaggy white fur, and was just long enough in the front and extra long around the sides and back. "Leon, you've finally found the other warrior?" she asked.  
  
"Yes Rutee," Leon told her, "Now stand aside. I don't want to hurt you."  
  
Rutee yelled, "Blasted Kronos, can't you two see what he is plotting?" Then she ran off, possibly to report to her master.  
  
"Who was that?" Lina inquired.  
  
"Her name is Rutee and she serves the White Dragon Atwight," Leon replied, "We must not concern ourselves with her. Our only goal is Igtenos, who lives atop the mountain."  
  
* * *  
  
They traveled until they arrived at the village of the Windcallers. These humanoid birds served Igtenos as Dragoons. As predicted, they refused to let Leon up the mountain. But the second he defied them, they got scared and ran away.  
  
The duo traveled up the mountain after that. On the way, they met three Windcallers who were each guarding a different space on the mountain. Once they met, the battle would begin. Lina was calling upon the power of her Flame Harp to cast Infernal Flame on them. When it was shown that they were also magic users, she ran up and began to whack them with Dragon's Breath. Leon was using his ax to help as best as he could. It wasn't long before all three were dead.  
  
Soon after, they saw the statue of a Windcaller. Three sounds were heard - - one for each of the dead Windcallers - - and then it disappeared. Apparently, the three of them were controlling a barrier in order to stop them from getting any farther. With the controllers dead, the barrier died as well. Now Lina and Leon were able to continue.  
  
Some time later, another group of Windcallers dropped down on them. "We may be weak, but we still serve Igtenos. We'll stop you with our lives," they vowed.  
  
Leon told them, "Such worthless lives." Then he cut down all four of them at once. Lina was almost shocked, they couldn't even fight back. But then Leon told her, "Listen to the strong." She did vow to have a little chat with him about this a little later.  
  
It wasn't long before they came to the domain of Igtenos. "Igtenos," challenged Leon, "I have come for your Mana in my master's stead."  
  
"So you are the Dragoon of Kronos. Are you not aware of what he is plotting?" a voice echoed. Suddenly, a big blue Dragon came out of the clouds and landed on the mountain before them. He looked mad, and Lina cursed the fact that she couldn't just Dragon Slave him.  
  
'Luckily for me, my little friend just paid a visit. I would have lost my magic anyway, and by the time I'm back to my old self it'll be gone,' she thought.  
  
Igtenos looked at her. "You seem to know nothing about what's going on. But I won't hold back either way. You are still an obstacle and an enemy, no matter what." With that, he took to flight and began his attack.  
  
His incredible speed and ability to fly high made the instruments practically useless. But Lina still had her ring. She began to concentrate on falling rocks, since he was a dragon of wind. It wasn't the same as knocking him out and using Mega Brunt on him, but it was a close substitute. This would most definitely have to do until she got her powers back.  
  
Leon was using his ax to chop Igtenos up every time he landed on the ground or was shot down by Lina. Lina just tried to keep him in striking distance of the ax at all times. Because of the teamwork they had managed, it wasn't long before victory was theirs.  
  
They went to the back area of the cliff. There, they found the Mana Stone. Leon immediately began to send its power to Kronos as he and Lina took in the stone's light. It felt so warm and refreshing on their souls.  
  
"Only two more to go," Leon reminded her, "Then we'll all come back to life. What will you do when you return to the living world?"  
  
Lina told him, "I want to go back to traveling around the world with my friend and teaching my young apprentices magic. What will you do?"  
  
"Oh, just continue serving my master, like any Dragoon," he replied. Leon had no intention of telling her of the plans he had. It may get her to turn on him here and now. Besides, he didn't want her to know of the end result he hoped to gain, since she'd think he was a softy.  
  
"Well, I'm hungry," Lina confessed, "How about you treat me to some good food in the town of Lumina? Then we can get a few blessed days of rest before going onwards."  
  
Leon didn't like the part about resting for a few days. It was as if she didn't care about being brought back to life. Then again, she may just be recoiling from the loss of all of her magic powers due to her death. If that was the case, he must cater to her every whim in order to get her ready for the fight with the second Dragon.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another day another chapter. More characters are introduced. In ToD, Rutee was another party member who was always at odds with Leon, while Igtenos and Atwight were the Swordians of Wind and Water respectively. In fact, Rutee used Atwight in battle originally (you can switch who uses which one). 


	24. Lovely Emerald

Lovely Emerald  
  
In the bar, Gourry spied Rooks. He asked his friend, "Have you seen this girl? She's short, but very in proportioned. She's the only girl I could ever care about."  
  
"I'm sorry Gourry, but I haven't," Rooks admitted, "Tell you what, how about you come to Geo with me. Maybe we can find her."  
  
At that moment, Teefa ran in. "Rooks, where are you going?" she whined.  
  
He told her, "Geo. I want you to stay here where it's safe."  
  
She began to whine again. "How about you go stay at my place," Gourry told her, "You can play with the twins."  
  
Teefa agreed and ran off towards the tree house. Then, Gourry and Rooks teleported too the city of Geo. It was Salamander day, which meant that Nunuzac was teaching at the academy. As if on cue, he and the green haired girl Gourry had seen the last time he was in Geo appeared on the street. He began to yell at her and call her dirt for no reason.  
  
Rooks ran to the Academy. He found the girl in the classroom. To his surprise, when he looked closer, he saw that she was a Jumi Guardian. "I'm Rooks, what's your name?"  
  
"Esmeralda," she replied, "Excuse me, but I've got class today. So could you please meet me in the library on Gnome or Undine Day?"  
  
* * *  
  
They stayed at the coffee shop for two nights. During that time, Gourry scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lina coming to town to learn more of the magic from the Academy. But he never saw her. The young man was beginning to despair.  
  
But on Gnome Day, they went to the library and saw Esmeralda. She told them her story. When the Jumi realized their city wasn't safe to live in any more, she ran away with her three sisters. But they were separated from her in the confusion. Now, she was Nunuzac's apprentice and was waiting for a knight to appear.  
  
"You want me to be your knight?" Rooks asked.  
  
Esmeralda shook her head. "You already have a Guardian. You know you can't defend two Guardians at the same time. And she'll be hurt if you leave her for me. I wanted to ask Gourry to be my knight. Will you accept and help me find my sisters?"  
  
"Of course," Gourry replied, "I'm searching for my friend, so we can work together to find each other." He then showed her a picture of Lina, which she couldn't recognize.  
  
"We'll start around town. Let's go to the Arts Palace," said Esmeralda.  
  
* * *  
  
At the palace, they ran into Sotherbee and his master Kristie. Esmeralda asked them, "Did you see a stone that looks like this?" She showed them her Core. To Gourry's shocked expression, she told him, "My sisters were killed by Deathbringer. Only the Cores remain. If I could learn to cry, or find Salah of the Clarius - - who can still heal - - I could bring them back."  
  
"It's in the storeroom, take it," Kristie told her.  
  
So they went down stairs. There, they saw the statue of Diana, the Jumi leader. Next to her was the Core of one of the sisters. A note on Diana said, "To whomever finds me.I have turned to stone in order to avoid being caught by Zeril. I must speak to those who will fight for the Jumi, only then may I be released. Until that time, let me be."  
  
They then went to the coffee shop. Esmeralda informed Gourry that she once had a reaction when visiting Mr. Mephianse's office. So they spent two nights at the shop, and waited until he taught class on Dryad day.  
  
When they day came, they went to the office. There, Esmeralda rummaged through a filing cabinet, and found the Core. They then went back to the coffee shop to strategize.  
  
There, Esmeralda reacted again. She ran right to the potted plant, and pulled out the Core. Needless to say, the manager was getting steamed. So Esmeralda told her story to the manager, who immediately had a change of heart.  
  
* * *  
  
After leaving the shop, a note came. Although Gourry tried to warn her not to run off, she did anyway. When he followed her, he saw a very angry Inspector Boyd telling him that Zeril had taken her prisoner. Gourry immediately got Rooks - - who had been investigating a jewelry shop.  
  
They then ran to the battle arena in the Palace of Arts. There, they saw a Jewel Beast. Both Gourry and Rooks began to fight it. Liger 0 helped out as well. Soon, the creature had fallen. The men ran forward to find Esmeralda.  
  
But they were too late. Just after they arrived, Zeril stole Esmeralda's Core. The young Jumi faded instantly. Gourry and Rooks were clenching their fists, vowing revenge.  
  
* * *  
  
Up in the storage room, Rooks read Diana's note. He then decided to come back later on with Teefa. The two of them were fighting for the Jumi's survival after all.  
  
But first he had to pick her up. When they teleported back to the house, they found her sleeping in the bedroom happily. It hurt Rooks to have to wake her up and end her peace. They then left the house and went on their merry way.  
  
- - - -  
  
Ok, in Arcana, Salah was Teefa's sister and the kind, sweet, generous character. I actually wrote down who teaches on which day of the week on a piece of paper. Ain't I a dork, or what? Awwww. . .and Gourry admits his true feelings about Lina. Now if he could only do it directly to her. 


	25. Potions & Dragons

Potions & Dragons  
  
Lina and Leon arrived at the Bone Fortress about the same time that Gourry and Rooks had returned to the tree house. The young sorceress was all rested up from her mission, and felt like she could go on for days. It was looking like her revival would happen soon.  
  
Once they arrived, they came across Thesenis and some of her students in the village near the Fort. They were working with the Flowerlings in order to make Triagran - - a potion with incredible destructive power. But they were having trouble finding the ingredients.  
  
So Lina and Leon went to help them look by the Fort's entrance. It wasn't long before they found the three ingredients - - Fairy Scales, Star Sparkles, and Silver Mushrooms. After giving them to they kids, they heard a loud roar.  
  
"It's the Dragon in the castle," one boy remarked, "It screams all night and scares us."  
  
That was Lina and Leon's cue. They went over to the entrance again and opened it up. But they were then attacked by a Skeletal Soldier - - Chaltier's Dragoon. After kicking it up a little bit, they entered the main hallway.  
  
As Lina tried to hit the button that would trigger the elevator, she felt sleeping gas hit her. When she came to, she was in a hallway in the basement. Worried about Leon and Moon GS, she ran around the whole floor. Soon, she discovered the Chocobo in another room, standing there like nothing had ever happened. Lina began to stroke the creature, and they ran for the elevator.  
  
"Now we must hit the switches at the same time. Moon GS, you take the right one while I take the left one," she told her.  
  
They took the elevator to the third floor. Suddenly, Lina felt a dagger cut into her shoulder. When she looked up, the sorceress saw Rutee standing in front of her.  
  
The Dragoon said, "I had a feeling we'd meet again. You are such a fool for helping Kronos. Do you even know what he is planning?"  
  
"No," Lina replied, "I just need to return to life in order to return to my friend Gourry. He's probably worried about me-since we haven't been apart this long in three years."  
  
Rutee looked down at her feet. 'She's in love. Even if she doesn't know it yet, she's definitely in love with this man,' she thought. But then, she looked strait in Lina's eyes. "I'm sorry, but I must kill you anyway. Without you, Kronos will give up. And I won't have to harm Leon."  
  
With that, Rutee dived strait at Lina. The young sorceress was nervous, for she'd never faced a reared warrior with just her sword. But she had to win this fight. With Moon GS's help, Lina managed to fend Rutee off until the warrior was too exhausted to fight on.  
  
The Dragoon retreated, but dropped a key. Lina and Moon GS returned to the second level, where they used the key to unlock Leon from the room he was in. As he slept, he mumbled about his sister. But when he awoke, he denied the whole thing.  
  
They returned to the third floor, where they heard an ominous voice stating, "Well, well, if it isn't Leon the Conqueror. You do remember me, The Deathbringer. I so do remember killing you all those years ago. I won't allow my work to be reversed." With that, a giant skeleton in flowing robes appeared before them.  
  
Lina set her ring to light beams and began to shoot them at the demon. All Leon could do was hit with his ax, as he had no magical items. Soon, Deathbringer went down.  
  
With that out of the way, the duo went across the bridge and into the main chamber. There, the Bone Dragon Chaltier dropped down on them. "So, the Dragoon of Kronos is here for me. That fool, he still selfishly craves Mana. But I won't allow them to defeat me. I'll kill you, and send you back to your home in the Underworld."  
  
"You will be the one to die. I never lose," Lina screamed.  
  
Chaltier began to attack. Contrary to his looks, he attacked with earth rather than darkness. His breath was also quite a dangerous weapon. Lina used her wind beams, as well as the Wind Marimba in order to hit him.  
  
Soon he was down. But just as Leon and Lina headed for the Mana Room, they heard Chaltier yell, "I won't be beaten. Not until you are dead." And then, he began to come back to life with the power from two statues on the ground. The statues were then placed on his back as his body rearranged itself to cope with the warriors' skills.  
  
"Lina," Leon exclaimed, "It appears that the statues are the source of Chaltier's life. Destroy them, and he will also fall."  
  
Lina nodded her head. Then she shot a beam of earth at each of the statues. Instantly, they were shattered. Chaltier began to writhe in pain, and then died.  
  
* * *  
  
In the Mana room, Leon began to transfer the power to Kronos as he and Lina let the energy build up inside of them. Their long quest was almost over. With the power from the final stone, they would be able to return to life.  
  
But Lina began to think about what was going on. All of the people they faced didn't seem to be evil. They also made it seem like Lina had been left in the dark about Kronos's true intentions. Rutee had even seemed like she regretted having to kill Lina - - again - - since she wasn't informed.  
  
'Something is going on here, and I must find out what it is,' she thought.  
  
Leon's voice interrupted her reverie. "The final stone is in the White Forest and is guarded by Atwight, the White Dragon. Rutee will surely be there so I want you to keep up your guard. But once we victor, we can come back to life and return to our homes."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I'm adding more mystery and intrigue to this section. This was actually two separate quests, but I grouped them together since they happen in the same place in sequence and the first one is so short. In ToD, Chaltier was the Swordian of Earth That's about it. 


	26. Dormant Powers

Dormant Powers  
  
Gourry woke up two days after returning from Geo. He ate a hearty breakfast, and prepared to search for Lina again. But when he went outside, he saw Rooks waiting for him.  
  
"Have you seen Teefa?" he inquired.  
  
"Nope," Gourry replied, "Take it you haven't seen Lina either."  
  
Rooks shook his head. "I'm getting worried. Let's go to the Mekiv Caverns again. Something tells me she's there."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived, they saw a humanoid duck wearing a green helmet called a Mad Mallard standing around. He looked at them and asked, "What are a couple of young men like you doing here in a place like this?"  
  
"Looking for a young girl with long brown hair. Have you seen her?" Rooks inquired.  
  
"Sure I have," the Mallard told them, "She was with this other lady in a green dress and with fabulous legs. They went down this direction."  
  
Rooks and Gourry took off in a run. The young Jumi thought, 'I won't fail Teefa. Zeril is never going to get her Core.'  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, they saw a Sproutling. "I don't see many people here," he exclaimed, "But a couple of girls came here just a little while ago."  
  
"Which way did they go?" demanded Rooks.  
  
The Sproutling pointed down a path. "They went that way. I wonder why the younger girl was so scared of this place."  
  
Again the duo began to run. Rooks was wondering why Zeril had taken all of the trouble to bring Teefa to this secluded part of the cave. Many of her victims were attacked in the middle of a crowded town square. She was a daring thief and murderer, so why was she taking no chances now?  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, they came across a green faced man with a red cloak on. He said, "I saw a tiny stone with a beautiful light come here just a moment ago. If you're looking for your Guardian young Jumi Knight, she went that way."  
  
Rooks pondered the stranger's words. The part about him being a Jumi was expected - - his Core did kind of give it away - - and the sword informed everyone of his knighthood, but how did he know about Teefa being his Guardian?  
  
That mattered not though. She was in trouble, and only Rooks could do anything about it. He and Gourry ran for a little while longer, and finally caught up to Zeril.  
  
"I see you came Jumi Knight," she purred, "All of your kind is so predictable. You just can't sit back when your Guardian is in danger, even if you put your own life on the line. But now you should realize that you fell right into my trap."  
  
With that, she grabbed one of her notes and threw it at Rooks's Core. Although the damage to the jewel was minor, the young Knight still writhed in pain. Tearless cries came from Teefa's mouth as she ran over to his side.  
  
"Teefa, your beloved Rooks's Core is scratched. Will you not shed tears of healing for your knight?" she asked.  
  
Teefa yelled, "Can't you see? We can't cry anymore. You've killed hundreds of Jumi, and yet you haven't realized this."  
  
Zeril yawned. "Typical, oh well, I guess there's no other choice. Both of your Cores will be mine now. Goodbye Rooks and Teefa."  
  
The young Guardian stood up and faced the huntress. "I don't need the power to heal, only the power to fight," she claimed. Suddenly, a light surrounded her. When it cleared, she became the young woman they had seen in Lieres.  
  
"No!" Zeril exclaimed, "It can't be. I killed you fifteen years ago Tefoneus."  
  
"No you didn't Zeril. You just did the same thing you did to Rooks, only a little bigger. You won't get away with this," she replied.  
  
Zeril sent a Jewel Beast out after Tefoneus. Gourry, thinking she was a Guardian like Teefa, ran up to help. But she really didn't need it. Tefoneus charged up a four elemental spell - - consisting of wind, water, earth, and fire - - called Attribute 11, and killed it instantly.  
  
Tefoneus asked Zeril, "What did you do with Salah? Is she still alive?"  
  
"Didn't she always say to find the answer yourself?" Zeril reminded her. Then, the Jewel Hunter ran away. An angry Tefoneus followed close behind.  
  
* * *  
  
Gourry managed to get Rooks back to the house. He laid the Jumi on his bed and went to get some medicine for him. But Rooks told him, "Don't bother. The only thing that can heal a Jumi's Core is the tears of another Jumi. So none of the magic or medicine you or those two elves posses can help. I have to rest, and recover on my own."  
  
The swordsman went downstairs. "I'm going to look for Lina again," he told the twins, "You take care of Rooks." Then, he went outside.  
  
Gourry suddenly had the urge to head for the White Forest. It was as if Lina was sending him a message to meet her there. Even though it seemed like a long shot, he decided to go. After all, what other leads did he have. So Gourry teleported to the forest, and continued his search.  
  
- - - -  
  
Now this takes place at the same time as Lina's adventures in the White Forest. So technically he's on his way there after her mission there ends. The robed man is supposed to be Galneon, the man who usurped the throne in Arcana. And Tefoneus is just a big tacked on version of Teefa (the characters' original names were Pearl and Blackpearl). The spell she used is Teefa's best attack. It consists of eleven levels, each differing in power and the number of enemies attacked. So Teefa is the healing version of this character while Tefoneus is the fighter version. 


	27. Revival

Revival  
  
When Leon and Lina entered the forest, the Dragoon immediately began sniffing the air. Apparently, something was throwing off his senses. "It must be Rutee, I'll bet my reputation that she's the one behind this," he grumbled, "I will continue to try and pick up Atwight's scent. You just keep leading the way, and watch out for Rutee."  
  
And so the two intrepid explorers ran through the forest. They vanquished every monster they came across with ease. As she pressed on, Lina began to think about what she'd do when she returned home. Some of the thoughts included going out with Gourry on another date or having a picnic at the beach with the twins.  
  
It seemed as if these past few days of being dead had caused a change in the sorceress. She hadn't seen Gourry since they separated in order to find the picnic site, and she missed him. Lina hadn't realized it before, but now she was sure she wanted to share the rest of her life with him.  
  
The sound of Leon's voice interrupted her thoughts. "We're closing in on Atwight's lair. Be ready for a fight. The other two dragons are little puppies in comparison to Atwight's power. Besides, Rutee will be there as well." A hint of sadness was detected when he said her name.  
  
* * *  
  
Soon they arrived at a beautiful tree in the center of a clearing. On one of the long roots that had come up from the ground, sat Rutee. She grabbed her dagger and prepared for battle. "So it has come to this," she whispered.  
  
Leon told her, "If you tell us where the Mana Stone is, I won't have to hurt you. I really don't want to fight against you Rutee."  
  
"And I don't want to fight you," Rutee replied, "You must realize that Kronos is using you. He's pure evil. He didn't order the dragons slain for revenge. He wants to steal Mana energy, and enslave the world with it."  
  
"I know," Leon informed her.  
  
Lina gave the Dragoon a death glance. "If I had all my powers, I swear I would Fireball you for using me. I guess I'll have to wait until they return, and then give Kronos the headache."  
  
"Why do you help him if you know all of this?" Rutee asked him.  
  
Leon stated, "If Kronos revives, then I, his Knight shall revive as well."  
  
"I am a Dragoon, I have to protect order in this world," Rutee said, "I won't let anyone disturb the sacred balance, even if it is my own brother."  
  
But before the young Dragoon could strike her brother down, Atwight appeared. She was a beautiful dragon with what appeared to be white fur instead of scales. "A brother and sister must not shed the blood they share. Leon, the Mana Stone is that way," she said.  
  
Everyone was shocked that Atwight hadn't tried to defend it. But when Leon left for the room, she whispered, "Go and see the error of your ways."  
  
Lina followed Leon into the Mana room and allowed her soul to be charged up. Now, if she was struck by the Dragon's spell, she would be able to revive. Leon ran off towards the Underworld in order to have Kronos use the spell on him. But Lina stayed behind, not wanting to be caught off guard when she was revived before she could Dragon Slave Kronos into oblivion.  
  
Atwight looked at her. "Lina, I see you have been unfairly dragged into this," she stated, "I will return you to life. In return, I wish to see the powers that you possess. You and your Chocobo will fight against me and my Dragoon."  
  
Lina informed her, "If I show you my full power, I will probably end up destroying you and Rutee on accident. So I will show you what I can do as a half-spirit before you bring me back to life." With that, Lina began to use her instruments, ring, and sword in order to fight the White Dragon. It was a long, hard fight, but Lina and Moon GS came out victorious. Atwight and Rutee were both breathing hard, but not badly injured.  
  
"Very well. I will now return you to your living body." With that, Atwight began to chant a spell of some sort. Lina felt strange energy flowing into her. Soon, she could feel her magic beginning to come back stronger than ever.  
  
But no sooner than the spell was finished, the Sorceress Supreme began to feel lightheaded. At first she thought her blood hadn't quite filled up the gaps from when Leon hit her with the ax. But when she saw the scar completely healed, that assumption changed. As she looked around, wondering what was going on, Lina fainted.  
  
"I guess we should of told her about what happens when all her powers come back," Rutee confessed, "When she lost them, she was out for awhile since the sense of not having them was new to her. But it wasn't long because losing her powers was like losing a burden on her soul. Now, the burden has returned and she's not quite strong enough to handle them yet. She'll probably be out for half a day at the least."  
  
Atwight replied, "Most likely more. She's definitely a powerful sorceress, so the burden is that much greater. So we'll not hear a peep from her for double your assumption, if we're lucky."  
  
"Yeah, I can't take on Kronos alone. But this isn't the best place for her recovery. She needs to slowly get used to using her powers again when she wakes up," Rutee grumbled.  
  
Atwight agreed with her young partner. "We must get her to a familiar setting. I've taken the liberty of sending a telepathic message to her most beloved. He will think it as a sign, and come looking for her. Then she can go home."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, now we know Kronos's true plans. And why Gourry decided to go to the forest. They reunite in the next chapter. ToD spoiler Rutee and Leon really are siblings in the game. She was raised by an orphanage, and he was raised by their father, who was under the control of Kronos, who had taken over a lost Swordian. That's why I chose these two for this quest, they were one of the only brother/sister duo I could think of, and the only ones that didn't get along.end spoiler At least Lina realized her true feelings for Gourry in this whole ordeal. 


	28. Together Again

Together Again  
  
Gourry arrived at the forest, and began to run. The young swordsman was worried his vision was one of impending doom for Lina. He had to get to her as soon as possible.  
  
Suddenly, Rutee jumped out of the trees. She took one look at him, and asked, "Are you the one they call Gourry Gabriev?"  
  
"Yes," he answered, "Why do you ask?"  
  
"My name is Rutee, Dragoon of Atwight. I am here to give you a message. Lina is waiting for you. I will take you to her," she told him. * * *  
  
When they arrived at the clearing, Gourry saw Lina sleeping in a bed made of Atwight's fur. She was dreaming lovely dreams about food, and was smiling. He walked up to her and tried to shake her awake to no avail.  
  
"Lina, we've got to get home," he said, "There's a lot of food, and we'll have a feast to celebrate our reunion. And I want you to meet my friend."  
  
Rutee informed him, "She will not awaken for at least a day. The evil Kronos brought her to the Underworld in order to use her to steal the power of Mana from the three Guardian Dragons. While dead, she couldn't use her magic. But when Atwight - - the Dragon who lives here - - brought her back to life, her powers came back and totally exhausted her."  
  
"Lina's dead!?" exclaimed Gourry.  
  
Rutee sweatdropped. "No, she was dead but now she's alive again. You must bring her back home so she can rest up from her ordeal. When she awakens, she must slowly get used to her powers again. So let her train up a bit, then we can take on Kronos." Upon seeing Gourry's vacant expression, Rutee handed him a piece of paper that had all of the instructions on how to help Lina get better written on it. Then, Gourry picked Lina up, and they returned home.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina was laid on her bed and tucked in. Gourry spent the rest of the day watching over her. He hadn't realized how much she'd meant to him until she went missing. Now the young swordsman had a clear grasp of how he really felt. He wanted to spend the rest of his life traveling the world with the woman he loved - - if they ever found the way home.  
  
The next day, Gourry rushed to Geo and asked the sorcerers at the Academy to make him a special necklace for Lina. The cord was a magically enhanced string, with a blue stone charm in the shape of a teardrop rested in the center. On either side of the charm was a blue, two black, and another blue energy bead. On the stone charm was an engraved heart. In the center of the heart was the initials GG with a plus sign under them and then the initials LI. He then had a similar one made for himself. The only difference was that the blue was switched for magenta.  
  
When Gourry got home, Lina was still out of it. He looked down, and saw that Rooks was awake and staring at him. "Hey Rooks, do you know how she can recover faster?" he asked.  
  
The Knight shook his head. "I've never encountered the Dragon Revive spell before, I'm sorry. You know, seeing her and you makes me think of Teefa and myself. When Teefa would get sick, I would watch over her like that. And she'd do the same for me."  
  
"Where is Teefa anyway?" Gourry inquired, forgetting that she had turned into Tefoneus and had chased Zeril to L-Sama knows where.  
  
But Rooks hadn't gotten the fact that Gourry forgot that detail. He just assumed that he was wondering where in the world she'd gotten to. "I don't know. But when I get better, I'll search for her again. I won't allow anyone to hurt Teefa."  
  
Shortly after, Rooks fell asleep in order to help his wounded Core recover. Bored, Gourry also fell asleep in the chair he was sitting in since he had stayed awake all night watching over Lina. The last thing he remembered before dozing off was the peaceful sound of Lina's peaceful breathing.  
  
* * *  
  
Gourry woke up some time later in Lina's bed. But the sorceress wasn't anywhere to be found. Looking out the window, he found it was nighttime. Rooks was still sleeping soundly.  
  
Gourry went downstairs in order to find out what was going on. There, he saw Lina sitting at the table and having a nice snack. When she saw him, the sorceress invited her friend over to the table to have some with her - - a rare occurrence.  
  
"I'm so happy to be home," she whispered.  
  
Gourry nodded his head. "And I'm happy to have you home. Lina, I want to give you something." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the blue necklace. Then he placed it around her neck. "I got this at Geo today. It's a sign of my love for you. I also brought one for myself." He then took out his own necklace and put it on. "They match. Except I'm wearing your usual colors of clothing while you have mine on."  
  
Lina's eyes widened. "I love you too Gourry," she whispered, "Being apart from you for so long made me realize how much I truly cared."  
  
Gourry told her, "It made me realize it too. That means even an idiot would see their true feelings after the person they loved was gone."  
  
Lina began to laugh at her beloved's joke. She knew that she would have to go out and battle with Kronos soon. If only she still didn't feel so tired.  
  
'When I'm completely recovered, I'm going to give that guy a piece of my mind for killing me and then using me in his evil scheme. He's gonna be Dragon Slaved so hard that he'll be feeling it for the next 200 years in the after life,' she thought.  
  
- - - -  
  
I'm not fighting Kronos right away. Lina'll need to have her powers completely back before she attempts it. This chapter just proves the old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder". And the necklaces that Gourry got are based on one I made out of this special molding clay, blue paint, eight beads, and a cord. I even did write GG + LI in a heart on it. 


	29. Warming Up

Warming Up  
  
The next day, Lina felt well enough to return to using her magic. So the second she woke up, she went outside and cast spells on a target that she had made. She started with the smaller spells, like Flare Arrow and Mono Volt, but soon began to use her bigger ones too.  
  
By the time Gourry woke up and joined her, Lina already had a firm grasp of what she could do. Her range of power allowed her to cast any spell with less power than the Dragon Slave. With a little more rest, all of her powers would return.  
  
"How about we go and get your powers all warmed up with real battle," Gourry suggested, "We can go to the Fieg Snowfields."  
  
"Why the snowfields?" Lina inquired.  
  
Gourry answered, "I don't know. Maybe because you get warmed up in a cold place."  
  
Lina rolled her eyes. But it did seem like a fun thing to do. So she and Gourry began to fill their packs, and head on over to the Fieg Snowfields.  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at the Snowfields, they ran into Mr. Mephianse. He was standing near the entrance and lamenting about his brother Nakratos. Apparently, Nakratos had gone after the Fairies' Treasure in order to bring his deceased wife back to life. But then the Ice Witch Crystal had turned him into an ice statue.  
  
"Did you just say there was a treasure here?" Lina asked.  
  
Mephianse replied, "Yes, but you must not seek it. Or else the Ice Witch will do to you what she did to my brother. Now I must get back to my students." Then, he left.  
  
"Treasure, let's look Gourry," Lina said, "We'll make a bundle if it was made by fairies." * * *  
  
They ran through the Snowfields, searching for the treasure of the fairies. But the only thing they came across was Mephianse and three of his students. The group was sitting around a campfire, just trying to stay warm.  
  
"We must leave now," Mephianse told them.  
  
One student inquired, "What about the treasure? Your brother lost his life looking for it."  
  
"I'd rather see us get out alive," Mephianse said. He waited a few more seconds, and then headed away from camp. "You children stay here. I'll be back."  
  
'He must know where the treasure is,' Lina thought, 'We better follow.' Then she pulled Gourry down the path by his arm.  
  
* * *  
  
After wandering around for a few minutes, they came across Mephianse arguing with the Ice Witch. Something told Lina that he was just hearing a new angle to the story of his brother's trip to Fieg. And it didn't quite bode well with the sorcerer.  
  
"He's still alive! I can't believe it," Mephianse exclaimed.  
  
Crystal reminded him, "You're the one who told everyone that I killed him. While he was here, he transformed himself into a giant cross between a saber toothed tiger, a Sasquatch, and a Du'Cate. We've been calling him Du'Mere."  
  
"I wish to free him," Mephianse stated, "Nakratos's mind will not be the same as a monster, and I fear what he'll do. But. . .I can't kill my own brother."  
  
At once, Lina saw an opening. "We'll help you Mr. Mephianse. You do remember me, Lina Inverse. We met at the Duma Desert, where I held back your powers."  
  
"I do remember. Very well, you must help me free Nakratos. Send him into the Underworld where his wife awaits him," Mephianse told her.  
  
So they ran until they arrived at an area called The Field of Lost Guilt. There, they ran into Du'Mere. He looked pretty annoyed at them disturbing him.  
  
Gourry ran forward in order to slash the beast. But he wasn't paying attention, and was hit by its colossal fists. After flying through the air a little bit, he landed in front of Lina.  
  
This angered the young sorceress. She felt her powers rising in her anger, filling her energy reserves to the very top. Suddenly, she began to recite the familiar chant. "Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the flow of time. In thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness. Those who oppose us shall be destroyed, by the power you and I possess. Dragon Slave." Instantly, the beast was blown up.  
  
* * *  
  
"Thank you Miss Lina, now Nakratos rests in peace. I must be off," Mephianse told them. Then he returned to his students.  
  
Crystal looked at Lina and said, "You have amazing powers young sorceress. I will give you this amulet. It can create a powerful barrier of ice in front of you to block most any attack. It is just a part of the fairies' treasure hidden here."  
  
Lina accepted the amulet and they headed on home. She knew she'd have to come back and find the rest of the treasure some other time. But at least her powers had completely returned. Now she and Rutee had a fighting chance.  
  
Gourry put his arm around her shoulder, trying to shield her from the cold. He knew she was going away again to fight this Kronis guy. Even though he couldn't follow her where she was going, he vowed to help in any way he could.  
  
So that is why he decided to wait for her in Polopota Harbor for her to return. It was the closest town to the Macabre Tombstone, and he wanted to be as close to Lina as he could. After staying the night at the Seaside Hotel, Gourry watched as Lina waved goodbye, and headed to face off against the evil emperor to decide the fate of the world.  
  
- - - -  
  
Little fluff, and a whole lot of adventure. If my transcript of the Dragon Slave chant isn't entirely correct, it's because I didn't have it written down in front of me. But I'm pretty sure that I'm 99.9% correct. The two part battle with Kronos is next. 


	30. Return to the Underworld

Return to the Underworld  
  
Lina teleported to the Macabre Tombstone in order to go after Kronos. She clutched Dragon's Breath close to her body, just in case of another attack. The young sorceress couldn't wait to give that fiend a piece of her mind - - or just a Dragon Slave.  
  
Suddenly, Rutee appeared before her. "My name is Rutee, Dragoon of Atwight," she stated, "I have been ordered by my master to hunt down Leon."  
  
"I already know that Rutee," Lina reminded her.  
  
Rutee replied, "I know. But I just can't help not using my introduction before a new battle, it sounds official."  
  
Lina sweatdropped. This girl had more energy than she could ever muster. But Lina had also seen her be just as temperamental as she herself.  
  
"What kind of magic can you use?" Lina inquired.  
  
"The magic I use is of the water, ice, and healing variety," she said, "When you become a Dragoon, you choose a spirit and then you get access to their powers to create spells in your soul. You also have the abilities from your master. I chose Undine as my spirit, and the healing magic is Atwight's specialty. It's saved my life numerous times. Also, I have unique techniques that utilize my Astral Knives' power for either strikes or throws."  
  
It was then time to go fight Kronos. They touched the tombstone, and were instantly teleported to the Underworld. Instantly, Rutee began to sniff around.  
  
"I sense something," she exclaimed.  
  
Suddenly, they heard Kronos's voice echoing throughout the cave. "How noble of you Lina, coming to stop my plans. And the Dragoon of Atwight is here too."  
  
Rutee screamed, "Where is my brother?"  
  
"So you wish to rescue your brother, how fraternal," Kronos boomed, "I have a special gift for you, young Dragoon. I hope you like it."  
  
Suddenly, she was surrounded by Dark Stalkers - - a type of living armor wearing red capes. But the very next second, Rutee had used her Maelstrom spell and destroyed them all. The young Dragoon was quite angry.  
  
"Let's go get him. He's gonna pay for what he's done," she yelled.  
  
'I was right,' Lina thought, 'She does remind me of me."  
  
* * *  
  
At Olbohn's chambers, they asked the Wisdom if he could help them in any way. Rutee was worried that they couldn't tackle such a strong foe. She needed to win in order to save Leon. He was the only family she had left.  
  
"I can send you directly to the bottom of the Underworld," Olbohn told them, "The Shadole will guide you there."  
  
With that, a Shadole appeared before them. He said, "You wish to fight Kronos? If Olbohn wants me to, I'll be happy to guide you. Let's go to the depths of the Underworld."  
  
* * *  
  
At the bottom, Lina and Rutee saw Leon standing by Kronos. The Dragoon ran up to the emperor. "You'll have to get through us to see the surface!" she exclaimed.  
  
Leon put his hand in front of his sister. "Rutee, stay out of this. I will be the one to fight Kronos. When we made our pact, we added this little piece in it. I would gather the Mana and send the life power to Kronos. He would then use it to revive us. But when our return is imminent, the two of us will fight. Then only the victor will rise to the surface."  
  
"Leon, you are my Dragoon and my dearest partner," Kronos said, "I will fight you as I promised. But first, a little reward."  
  
Suddenly, Kronos began to cast a spell. Leon suddenly felt weird. He began to roar, and roll on the ground in pain.  
  
"What did you do to him?" demanded Rutee.  
  
Kronos answered, "Just giving him a little reward. Your brother always wanted to be a strong warrior, like his sister. So I merely granted his wish. Now Leon, defeat your sister and the sorceress and demonstrate your new powers."  
  
Kronos teleported out of the line of fire. Just then, Leon got up again and began to howl. Then, his body started to grow larger, and turn into that of a Centaur.  
  
"That's no reward," Rutee screamed, "That's a curse."  
  
Lina mused, 'Dang, and Zelgadis thought that he had it bad, at least he's part human.'  
  
Leon wasn't going to stop fighting for even his sister. He began to charge up one of the dark attacks he gained from his master. Lina dodged, and began to use the Dragon Slave on him. As she chanted, Rutee began to fight with her Bloody Rose stabbing technique. Soon, the chant was finished, and Lina let her spell hit the demon, returning Leon to his own body.  
  
"I'm sorry Rutee. I knew what I was doing was wrong. But I just wanted to return to the land of the living, to return. . .to you," he gasped out. Then, he faded away.  
  
Suddenly, the Underworld began to shake. Rutee, Moon GS, and Lina then went flying through the air. They ended up right in front of the tombstone. There, they watched as the ground began to sink, and a huge castle appeared in its place.  
  
- - - -  
  
Maelstrom was one of the spells you could use by equipping the Swordian Atwight. And Bloody Rose is one of Rutee's special techniques. Well, we'll head to the last fight with Kronos after this, but there'll still be more. There is going to be plenty of other adventures for Lina and Gourry to get into. 


	31. Castle of Doom

Castle of Doom  
  
Lina and Rutee watched as the Castle began to rise out of the Underworld. It was even more intimidating than the Bone Fortress. Lina was reminded of a place that Mazoku would hang out. She was almost expecting Xellos to come out of it and begin to annoy her.  
  
"So this is Dycroft, the Fortress of Kronos," Rutee stated, "I thought it had been destroyed. But it must have been taken into the Underworld with Kronos."  
  
Suddenly, Atwight appeared. She didn't have enough power to come in her own body, so she just sent her spirit. She told them, "I am happy to see you are all ok."  
  
"Atwight, have you been protecting us?" Rutee inquired.  
  
The Dragon nodded her head. "Kronos wishes to use Mana to subjugate all life in this world. We must stop him."  
  
"I'll go now," Rutee exclaimed, "He's gonna pay for messing with me."  
  
"No, you must not. There is a powerful barrier here, you may not be able to return. You can not face him on your own time, lest you be made into his servant, as was Leon."  
  
Rutee said, "I know that Leon just wanted to come back to life, but why did he have to join up with Kronos anyway?"  
  
Atwight looked at her partner. "Your whole tribe is like that. They seek bonds with other life in the form of their Dragon Master. The Dragons also seek those same bonds, no matter how aloof from the rest of the world they are. You are the only ones who can protect those bonds now."  
  
"Let's go together," Lina offered.  
  
Rutee nodded her head. "I'm ready," she exclaimed, "That fiend won't get away with messing with Rutee Katrea."  
  
They ran across the bridge. At that moment, the barrier activated, and locked them inside the castle. The only way to close it down was to find Kronos and defeat him.  
  
As they traveled, they came across floors that would drop them down to the level below. The only way to stop that was to destroy the barrier stones. Each stone had a guardian and was hidden in a remote part of the castle.  
  
Their first opponent was a Sky Dragon. It wasn't a very well trained one, and soon it fell to Lina's sword. The green crystal then shattered.  
  
Shortly after, they found a Land Dragon. Although it was much stronger than the Sky Dragon, it still wasn't a match for Lina and Rutee. After it died, the red crystal was shattered.  
  
Finally, they found the Centaur Zenoa. This one was a bit of a challenge. Lina began to use some powerful spells as Rutee hit it with her knifes. Once Zenoa kicked the bucket, the blue crystal shattered. Now the floors would not open below them.  
  
Lina and Rutee made their way to the top floor. Once there, they went through a door and ran across a few floors that were trapped before. After they went a little bit further across a few more trap floors, they came to Kronos's chamber.  
  
"Welcome Lina, welcome Rutee," Kronos said.  
  
Rutee wasn't fooled. "You monster," she exclaimed, "I won't tolerate you any longer. By my master, I will destroy you."  
  
Kronos told her, "Your brother is mine, my dear. Now both brother and sister will become my nourishment and my power."  
  
"All of the souls you've swallowed. Enough! Return to me Igtenos, Chaltier, and my brother Leon. You will not survive this day," Rutee vowed.  
  
Kronos held up his hand. Power began to build around him as his body transformed. Soon he was a mighty Crimson Dragon.  
  
That didn't faze Lina one bit. She decided to skip the smaller attacks, and go strait to the Dragon Slave again. The young sorceress knew she could rely on Rutee to keep him busy and get out of the way in time. So using it didn't give her any cause for worry.  
  
"Foolish mortal," Kronos boomed, "Your magic cannot beat me."  
  
Lina replied, "You haven't seen nothing yet. You're nothing compared to the Dark Lords I've killed in the past. Dragon Slave."  
  
The blast hit right in Kronos's chest. The dragon began to scream in pain. Then, he flew high up into the air, and exploded. With the death of Kronos, the castle began to sink. Lina and Rutee began to run as fast as they could, until they were safely outside.  
  
* * *  
  
After Dycroft had reverted back to the Macabre Tombstone, Lina looked up at the sky. She began to comfort Rutee, who had learned that her brother would have to spend another thousand years in the Underworld as a half-spirit in order to pay for his crimes. Although the young Dragoon was willing to take some of the burden - - and share the curse with him - - Leon insisted that she return to the forest with Atwight. He also vowed to break the curse early and return to her.  
  
Lina didn't have time to return to the forest with Rutee. She teleported to Polpota Harbor, and began to look around. Soon, she saw Gourry waiting for her at the marketplace.  
  
"Gourry," she screamed. Then she ran into his arms.  
  
"Lina," he replied, "I knew you would make it back. There wasn't a moment in the world where I doubted your ability to face a demon."  
  
They then returned home. Once there, they watched the sun set over the horizon and had dinner under the stars. Lina held Gourry's hand, and lay against his shoulder, feeling the warmth from his love. She knew that now they'd be together forever.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, big quest #1 done. There are two more major quests to go. If you were wondering, Dycroft is the main Aeropolis where Kronos dwells in ToD. It is also the final dungeon in the game. 


	32. Lost Broom

Lost Broom  
  
The next morning, Lina was surprised to see Lil' Cactus out of his pot. As she searched around for him, she heard Jerin's scream. Strangely, Gourry didn't even stir from the chair he was sleeping in. Lina giggled, and ran downstairs.  
  
"My broom is missing!" exclaimed Jerin, "It belonged to my father. I know I placed it here yesterday. So where has it gone to?"  
  
As Jerin began to have a nervous breakdown, Lil' Cactus came in the front door, walking on his two feet. He was smiling, and whistling as he returned to his pot. "I didn't know that cactuses could walk," commented Jared.  
  
Neither did Lina. She ran upstairs to find out where in the world he had been. When she got up there, she put a new hot towel on Rooks's face - - since it seemed to help the fever that came with the wound in his Core.  
  
"Threw away an old broom in the Junkyard," stated the cactus.  
  
Lina ran downstairs to tell the twins. But when she arrived, Jerin had already left. Jared was standing by the door, looking nervous.  
  
He told Lina, "Jerin heard what the cactus said. She's on her way to the Junkyard at this very moment. We've got to go after her."  
  
"Calm down," Lina said, "There's no use to get hysterical. We must follow Jerin to the Junkyard, and help her find her broom. Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
At the Junkyard, they saw a Flowerling standing at the gate. He offered to transport them to Louie's room. So they both held his hand, and were sent off.  
  
In Louie's room, Lina asked the doll, "Did you see a blond elf girl come here today? Hair in a ponytail? Orange dress? Eyes like his?"  
  
"Yes I did. She asked me if I've ever seen her missing broom. I didn't but I did tell her to go see Magnolia. She's always collecting things she finds," he replied.  
  
So they headed for Magnolia's room, taking the same rout Lina and Gourry had taken on their last foray into the Junkyard. Lina was in the lead, as she knew the way. Jared followed behind his master, looking for his sister.  
  
At Magnolia's room, the elf boy ran ahead. He saw Jerin sitting on the ground with a broken ankle. Her broom lay not far away with a crack in the center.  
  
"Jerin," Jared called, "Are you hurt sis?"  
  
Jerin nodded. "I don't think I can run away. But I don't like it here. All of the garbage like hates people. I want to go home."  
  
A loud roar echoed through the Junkyard. Both children began to huddle together, hoping it wouldn't find them. "It'll be ok Jerin. Remember, I'm Jared the Malignant. Son of the Master Magician Hein. I'll take care of this," he said.  
  
"Jared.dad was a dropout at the Academy of Magic," reminded Jerin, "He was so bad that he was only accepted in Domina. We're doomed."  
  
Jared suddenly thought of another of his dad's lessons. "Jerin, we're not gonna die if we just remember what dad told us years ago."  
  
Jerin guessed, "He who fights and runs away lives to see the light of day?"  
  
"That's it," Jared replied, "Let's just get out of here."  
  
With Jared's help, Jerin managed to limp out of there on her broken ankle. Lina then came forward to face whatever was over there. It turned out to be a black Imp-like creature. It was so small, she decided it was a waste of her most powerful spells. So she destroyed it with only a Fireball.  
  
* * *  
  
After arriving back home, Jared proceeded to fix Jerin's broom. Lina had used Recovery on Jerin's ankle, and then it was as good as new. The child watched with delight as her brother fixed her father's keepsake.  
  
"Don't worry sis. I'll make sure that you can use this as soon as possible," her told her.  
  
"Jared," Jerin said, "We fight with Bows and Arrows. You don't have to get it done so fast."  
  
From the top floor, Lina heard Rooks moaning. When she ran upstairs, she saw Gourry trying to help Rooks, who wasn't looking too hot.. The young Jumi looked like he was in severe pain that wasn't stemming from the wound.  
  
Gourry asked him, "Is it about Teefa again?"  
  
"Partly," Rooks replied, "I'm worried about her. But I want some wine in order to help my body feel better. Wine is known to help a Core recover faster."  
  
"I'll go to Lumina and pick up a bottle. From what I heard they have the best wine in this whole world," Lina commented.  
  
The young sorceress then went back outside and teleported to Lumina. There, she picked up a bottle of the best wine to be found. Then she returned home.  
  
But something was wrong. The only person in the kitchen was Jared - -who was whining about his stomach hurting. Upstairs, Rooks wasn't in the bed. And Lil' Cactus had again left his pot.  
  
"I went to get that wine for nothing," complained Lina, "When I find out where Rooks, Gourry and Jerin are, they're gonna be in big trouble."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another chapter up. We'll see where the others went in the next chapter. And if you're wondering about the town's name changing, I just found out yesterday that it was Domina and not Dominia. I'd like to kick myself for that one. Originally, the twins did fight with the broom and frying pan (which counted as a staff and a 2-handed sword). But usually elves use bows, so I changed it. 


	33. Sick Mage

Sick Mage  
  
Let's see what happened while Lina was out getting wine. Shortly after, Jared began to complain of a stomachache. When Jerin put her hand on her brother's forehead, she realized that he had a high fever. Her eyes widened.  
  
"Gourry, go to Domina and ask the fortuneteller about how to help Jared," she pleaded. Then she gave him a piece of paper with the question on it so he wouldn't forget. After living with him for so long, Jerin had gotten used to Gourry's lack of mental ability.  
  
So Gourry teleported to Domina and asked the fortuneteller. She told him that the only cure was cactus juice. Although Gourry didn't know where to get some - - completely forgetting again that they had a pet cactus - - he returned home.  
  
When he told Jerin, she said, "We can get some juice from Lil' Cactus. But he just ran off right before you came back."  
  
When they looked upstairs in his pot, all they found was a note. It read 'I went to ask Gaeus how to make the potion. I'll be back with Jared's cure in no time'.  
  
They then teleported to the Luon Highway. With the help of a transporting creature named Boink, they arrived at Gaeus quite soon. "Lil' Cactus stopped by asking how to make a potion," he informed them, "I told him he should ask Selkie about these things. She lives in the Jungle with her sister Roan. They are the helpers of Rosiotti."  
  
After fighting their way back to the entrance, they teleported to the Jungle. Luckily, another Flowerling was there to teleport them to Rosiotti's Lair. But Selkie wasn't there. Her sister told them she was at a place called the Courtyard of Rain.  
  
So they went to the Fairies' territory and were sent back to the entrance. Then they got the help of the Flowerling to go to the Courtyard of Rain. There, they found Selkie. "Lil' Cactus stopped by. I told him that this is a sickness that many mages get. Then I told him about Brownie, who had it recently. He's a student at the Academy of Magic."  
  
Again, Gourry and Jerin began to head back to the entrance. This time, they headed for Geo. Near the Academy classroom, they ran into the boy named Brownie. He was standing there and blowing bubbles in a bubble wand.  
  
"Hi Brownie," Jerin greeted, "Did a cactus come here recently?"  
  
The boy nodded. "He said that he needed a potion for a friend. Then he asked me about my sickness and how I got better. I told him that I got a potion from David, a pirate on the S.S. Buccaneer. Is Jared sick or something?"  
  
Jerin nodded. Then they teleported to the ship. About two levels below deck, they saw David sitting and looking at a picture of Valerie.  
  
"Lil' Cactus stopped by. I helped him make a potion for his friend. Then I asked the Pelican to take him home. I wonder if they made it," he said.  
  
So they went to ask Pelican about what was going on. They found her picking cactus thorns out of her beak. Jerin guessed that she'd carried Lil' Cactus in her mouth.  
  
Pelican whined, "Lil' Cactus hurt me with these thorns. But my job is just to deliver the mail. Not to transport plants."  
  
When they arrived back home, the duo found Lil' Cactus stuck in the mailbox. Gourry - - not realizing he had thorns - - tried to pull him out. Then he screamed bloody murder, as Lil' Cactus went inside with the potion.  
  
By the time Gourry had clamed down and went inside, Jared had been given the potion and was feeling much better. Just then, Gourry heard Lina yell, "You better have a good excuse for running out while I was gone."  
  
"We were looking for Lil' Cactus," Gourry confessed.  
  
"I forgive you, since it was to help Jared," Lina told him, "But where in the name of L-Sama did Rooks get to. That ungrateful. . .I went out and brought him wine in order to help him feel better, and he runs out on me."  
  
Gourry said, "I don't know. He was there when we found the note from Lil' Cactus. When did he run out of the house?"  
  
"It would have to be after you left but before I came home," Lina commented, "Otherwise, one of us would have seen him leaving."  
  
"Don't look at me, I was sleeping," Jared admitted.  
  
* * *  
  
When Rooks didn't return by the next morning, Lina began to worry about Gourry's houseguest. It wasn't good for anybody in his condition to be going very far on his own. So she decided that they should split up and search for him.  
  
Jerin was going to stay home with Jared - - who still hadn't made a complete recovery - - in case Rooks finished his business and came back to the house. Meanwhile, Lina would go to Domina and see if he was in the bar again. Gourry would go to the Tower of Lieres in hopes of finding him there - - since it was a good place to search for Teefa.  
  
"Ready?" Lina inquired.  
  
Gourry nodded his head. Then, the two of them teleported to their respective destinations. Lina's search of Domina's bar yielded nothing. When she asked the other usual patrons, they didn't notice anything either. She only hoped Gourry was having better luck than she was.  
  
- - - -  
  
We'll see Gourry's search for Rooks in the next chapter. We'll also get to finally see what happened to Teefa. Nothing much more to add. 


	34. Searching for Teefa

Searching For Teefa  
  
Gourry teleported to the Tower of Lieres right away. At the front gate, he saw Rooks, kneeling on the ground and clutching his Core. His body still showed signs of his wounds.  
  
"Rooks, what's going on?" Gourry asked.  
  
"I sense Teefa is here," he replied, "I'm going to climb the tower and look for her. Most likely she'll be in that top room."  
  
Gourry said, "All we have to do is climb the tower and find her then."  
  
Rooks shook his head. "It won't be that easy. She turned into Tefoneus, remember. We may have to fight against the Legendary Knight of the Clarius herself in order to get Teefa back. And she is the strongest Jumi of them all."  
  
"Wasn't Teefa a Guardian?" inquired Gourry.  
  
Rooks thought, 'This guy is always out of it. I already told him that she transformed into Tefoneus. If she's a different person, she may have different abilities.'  
  
"Let's go," Gourry told him, "We've got to save Teefa before she gets hurt."  
  
* * *  
  
They again scaled the monumental tower. Rooks was leading Gourry along, as he had forgotten the way. The young Knight wondered how the swordsman had lived this long if he was always getting lost. He figured that Lina kept charge of him all of the time.  
  
At the eleventh floor, they came to the Room of Fate again. "The room is said to only open to the one who knows the one inside. So I must open it," Rooks said.  
  
Rooks walked forward and went to open the door. But no matter how hard he tried, the door was sealed shut. "How can this be? My memories aren't enough to open the door."  
  
Gourry walked forward, and pushed the door open. Then he walked inside. Rooks wondered how he had managed it, and then followed him in.  
  
Inside, they saw Teefa talking to Tefoneus. Rooks wanted to go forward and talk to his Guardian, but he couldn't get past the Knight's shield. He began to bang on it, much like the time Lina was locked up in the tower by Zangulus and Vrumugun.  
  
"Teefa," Tefoneus told her, "Your mission is to become the Clarius and replace Salah. I must find her, but until I do, I must use you to protect the race. You will give your life for our people, and save them from Zeril with your tears. Eventually, you will die from your effort, but by then I should have located Salah and returned her to our people."  
  
"No, I will not. I don't want to die. I want to live," yelled Teefa.  
  
Suddenly, the barrier crashed from her screams. Rooks ran over to the terrified Teefa, and put himself between her and the Legendary Knight. "No one, not even the Knight of the Clarius, harms Teefa while I'm around."  
  
Tefoneus replied, "You fool. Don't interfere. Can't you see that the survival of our race depends on my little alter ego giving up her life?"  
  
"Teefa is my Guardian, it's my duty to protect her," he said.  
  
Tefoneus sighed. "Then we will have to fight. If you manage to defeat me in combat, then I will return her to your care. But let us not defile this sacred place. Meet me at the foot of the tower." With that, she went on a head.  
  
"Teefa, wait here for me," Rooks told her, "I'll come back and pick you up when the fight is over. Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you."  
  
"I trust you Rooks. Good luck," she whispered.  
  
When he looked at this, Gourry was reminded of him and Lina. Only, Lina would most likely yell at him for babying her, and Fireball Tefoneus to a crisp. He let out a sigh, and wished to be back with her soon. "I won't lose, for her sake," he vowed.  
  
* * *  
  
At the bottom, they saw Tefoneus standing there with her mallet. "Are you ready to fight, Jumi Knight?" she asked, "Show me the power of your heart." With that, she attacked. Rooks grabbed a trio of Air Cards, and cast the Lightning 3 spell on her. He then held up another card - - the Call Amulet - - that would call a random spirit to his aid. As luck would have it, he managed to bring the Water Spirit, who was pretty powerful despite her element.  
  
All Gourry could do was slash at her. He hadn't even bothered to bring any of the Instruments from home, knowing Lina was better at magic. So he just used his sword.  
  
Soon after, Tefoneus got down on her knees. She was reeling from the blows felt from Gourry's sword, and the energy from Rooks's Cards. A trickle of blood was on her lip.  
  
"You win young Knight," she said.  
  
Rooks reminded her, "We had a deal Tefoneus. You will leave Teefa alone."  
  
"I will leave her alone, for now anyway," she replied, "But remember, Teefa is me and I am Teefa. She will see the light someday." Then Tefoneus faded away.  
  
"She was only an illusion," Rooks commented.  
  
At that moment, Teefa came down the stairs. She instantly ran to her Knight, and gave him a hug. "I knew you'd do it. Oh Rooks, I'll never leave your side again."  
  
"You can't help how you are," Rooks told her, "If you wander off again, I'll come look for you. I'd search forever if I had to. I love you Teefa."  
  
She then gave him a hug and a kiss. A tear formed in Gourry's eye as he watched. He was thinking of Lina back home. Now, with Kronos vanquished and Teefa found, they would spend some more time together.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, a little fluff between the Jumi duo. I'm a big Rooks/Teefa person in Arcana. One of these days I'm gonna get off my lazy butt and write a fic about these two for real. 


	35. Dogs & Pirates

Dogs and Pirates  
  
After finding Teefa and helping her and Rooks reunite, Gourry returned home. He found Lina sitting at the table and having a nice meal. She motioned for him to join her, and that she had something to tell him.  
  
"I want to go explore the old mines," she said, "Last time I went there, I saw a sign for the Dudbear Express. It's been driving me mad over what that is."  
  
"Sure we'll go. It sounds interesting," Gourry replied.  
  
* * *  
  
After telling the twins where they were going, Gourry and Lina were off. They teleported to the mines, and went to examine the sign. But when they touched it, a Dudbear came running in and carried them off.  
  
They took them to their hideout. When they arrived, they saw some penguins standing in a circle around something. Muffled cries were heard from the group.  
  
"If the Diggers don't have their dog lord, they won't be a threat to us," one stated. With that, the group ran off with whatever they had found.  
  
Suddenly, a man in a white circular hat and loincloth came running in. He asked the Dudbears, "Was that his graciousness Lord Putty crying out?"  
  
The Dudbears began to tell the man about what had happened. He then began to freak out. "You two! You're partially responsible for this fiasco too. Go and rescue his graciousness from those filthy pirates."  
  
"I don't really know what's up," Lina confessed, "Can you fill me and my friend in on the situation, and who exactly was kidnapped.  
  
"My name is Roger, leader of the Diggers. Some time ago, I was in the mines with my dog Putty. Suddenly, we received a sign. It told us that Putty was a divine being, and I was to lead the new order of salvation through labor. But the pirates were angered because we began to compete for treasure. So they've kidnapped Putty," he said.  
  
Lina was speechless. "A dog, we've got to go rescue a dog. Whatever you say. We'll go to the S.S. Buccaneer and bring your dog back to you."  
  
As they left, Roger said, "Outsiders never understand our goals. She may help us, but she doesn't get the true divinity of labor.  
  
* * *  
  
They teleported immediately to the pirate ship. There, Lina and Gourry descended to the bottom cargo hold of the ship. There, they found the poor dog shut up in a barrel. He was whimpering and whining for his master.  
  
"Take it easy, we'll get you out," Lina assured him.  
  
They pulled the dog out of the barrel. Then, Lina began to laugh. He was dressed up in ornate robes with a strange mask on. The dog could even walk on his hind legs as good as a human. But he'd much rather walk on all fours.  
  
"Woof," barked Putty, "Woof, woof, woof." Then he began to run away. Lina and Gourry ran after him, to make sure he didn't get hurt.  
  
* * *  
  
They followed Putty all the way to Polpota Harbor. There, he sat on the beach and began to scratch his side. He seemed lonely, so Lina began to pet him.  
  
She remarked, "That's all you wanted, someone to treat you like a dog for once. I bet you don't get this back home."  
  
It wasn't long before Roger came running in. Following close behind him was the Dudbears. They all seemed happy to see Putty.  
  
"Oh, you found him," Roger said, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for finding our lord. You must be divine Paladins sent to aid us."  
  
"Actually, we're mercenaries," mumbled Lina.  
  
But Roger wasn't listening to a word Lina was saying. He called out, "Dudbears, show your joy for the return of our lord. Don't hold back now, cheer till your hearts content."  
  
Lina rolled her eyes. "Let's go home Gourry. It'll be more fun to eat a huge feast than watch these crazies yell about."  
  
* * *  
  
Once back home, they again had something to eat. Lina was describing their trip to the twins, who were laughing about it. Gourry was already forgetting what had happened that day - - and Lina wished for once that she had his memory problems.  
  
"Those guys were the wackiest bunch of loonies I've ever seen," she said, "And I've spent time in the company of Xellos the Trickster Priest."  
  
"Whose he?" inquired Jared.  
  
She answered, "He's a Mazoku who just happens to be the general and priest of Beastmaster Zellas Metallium. Likes to screw with people's heads a lot."  
  
Judging from the twins' blank stares, Lina knew they didn't know who the Beastmaster was either, or what a Mazoku was. Which was quite odd, since the only person who didn't know these things was Gourry. How far from home were they.  
  
"That's it," she screamed, "I'm going to Domina. I must ask the Ms. Mei Mei where in the world we are, and what's going on. Gourry, you're coming with me." With that, she began to drag the dimwitted swordsman away from the table and outside so they could teleport.  
  
- - - -  
  
Now Lina's mad. Everyone else better take cover. We'll find what is going on with them exactly and why it's happening in the next chapter. 


	36. Copy Trouble

Copy Trouble  
  
When they arrived at Domina, they found a Sproutling laying on the ground. Nearby, a girl who looked exactly like Lina was stealing a leaf. She had a nasty smile on her face.  
  
"Good, these leaves here will sell for premium prices," she cackled. Then she headed off towards the Marketplace.  
  
Lina was so mad, her nails began to dig into Gourry's shoulder. "That's it! When I find the fruitcake who made the Copy of me, they'll be broken up so bad that it'll take L-Sama to put them back together again." Then she stormed off to the Market, Gourry trailing behind.  
  
There, they found the Copy pulling the leaves off another Sproutling. After having a laugh fest, she headed back towards the main part of town. Lina again began to pull Gourry along in order to keep up with her.  
  
But when they arrived, they didn't see her. So Lina decided to check all of the houses. If that didn't work, they could always go to the bar and ask questions.  
  
In the house of Mark the shopowner, they saw Duelle and Teapo. But something was wrong. Duelle seemed to be bullying his long time friend.  
  
"I know you've been hoarding pumpkins Teapo," he told her, "You will give them to me if you know what's good for you. With an army of pumpkins, I will rule the world."  
  
'This again, didn't Jared and Jerin try this?' thought Lina.  
  
Teapo replied, "Oi Duelle. Whot's gotten into you lately? Are you sick or something? I've never seen you like this."  
  
"Just give me the pumpkins," Duelle demanded.  
  
"Just whot'll you do if I refuse?" Teapo asked.  
  
Duelle pointed to her back. "I'll build an anthill on your back. It'll be so itchy with an anthill on your back. You'll be in perpetual suffering."  
  
'Now I know something's wrong,' Lina mused, 'Both my and Duelle's Copies are acting almost like Mazoku. This is just the sort of prank I'd expect from Xellos.'  
  
Teapo began to whine, "No don't put an ant'ill on me back. I'll give you the pumpkins. Just don't make me have an ant'ill on my back."  
  
Teapo dropped the pumpkins in front of Duelle. He began to laugh, and walked out the door. Lina and Gourry followed close behind.  
  
Once outside, they saw Lina's Copy complaining about the sap on the Sproutling's leaves. She then began to head for the Western End of Domina. Gourry and Lina gave chase instantly, hoping to figure out whose sick joke this is.  
  
* * *  
  
At West Domina, they saw the Copy standing around evil pumpkin patches. She was laughing maniacally at the scene before her. Seeing Gourry and Lina, she hurled a Fireball at them. But they dodged almost effortlessly.  
  
"So we finally meet, Lina Inverse," she said.  
  
"Alright you Copy," Lina yelled, "Who created you and let you run amok on the town? Who decided to make a Copy of me with Mazoku traits?"  
  
The Copy gave her a blank stare. "Copy? Mazoku? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a Shapeshifting Shadow Zero One. These pranks are such fun to play. I decided to disguise myself as the locals in order to get a rise out of everyone."  
  
Lina Fireballed her. "I didn't think it was very funny. And neither did the other people who were on the receiving end of your pranks," she said.  
  
Suddenly, the second Lina turned into a little shadow creature that looked like it was wearing a ninja suit. The only color that wasn't black, was the red face, which didn't have any features on it. It looked - - as best as it could with no eyes - - right at them.  
  
The creature yelled, "Let's fight. I will not let you ruin my perfectly good plan for messing up the lives of all of the villagers."  
  
They began to fight. But Lina didn't take the thing very seriously. It was only a little shadow after all. She called out, "Elmekia Lance." With that, it was destroyed.  
  
* * *  
  
After setting right what the Shadow Zero One had done, Lina and Gourry went to talk with Mei Mei. The young Sorceress asked about how she had come to this place, and how she could get back to Seyruun. The answer shocked her.  
  
"You have been chosen by our Goddess, the Mana Goddes to save the world," Mei Mei replied, "Our people have suffered under their fates for so long. So she reached out into another world, and found the heroes needed to save us."  
  
"So we're in another universe, that explains a lot. Like why no one has heard of the places I've seen. Or the things every child knows about. And especially that no one knows who Gourry and I am, " she exclaimed.  
  
They returned home trying to figure out a way back to their own dimension. Lina figured that the only way was to play along with the Mana Goddess's plan. After all, if she brought them here, maybe she could send them back home again.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, now we know the where when why and how. We'll have to find a way home before this story comes to a close. It'll be dynamite though. 


	37. Music For Thought

Music For Thought  
  
Gourry and Lina spent the rest of the day trying to find a place on the map where there may be trouble to right. Lina had surmised that the Mana Goddess would speak to them and send them home only when they'd completed all of their tasks. But you can't find trouble just by looking at a map. So their search ended in failure.  
  
The next day, Lina decided they should got to Domina. There was a traveling juggler and his friend - - who worked one of those old fashioned record players - - at the local park. Sometimes, ideas flowed better when a person listened to music.  
  
When they got there, they saw a young monkey boy named Capella juggling, and his friend Diddle - - who looked just like a potato with arms and legs wearing a turntable on his hat. They sat and watched they show for awhile, hoping to charge Lina's mind. But that didn't work either.  
  
Suddenly, Diddle just up and left. Capella got mad and refused to look for him. It was as if this had happened before, and the juggler knew his friend would return.  
  
When he didn't come back for awhile, Lina and Gourry followed the road he had taken. As expected, they couldn't find him. But by this time, Capella had gotten worried, and was searching for Diddle as well.  
  
When Lina questioned a Sproutling, he replied, "I saw a bird fly into the air with something in its mouth. It looked like what you are describing."  
  
Since the closest bird to question was Miss Yuka, they went to the inn. There, they found Capella and the innkeeper talking to each other. Lina could see the monkey was getting even more worried about his friend.  
  
"I'm not saying I suspect you ma'am," he said, "But I want to know if you have any information regarding his disappearance."  
  
"Maybe this will convince you, I CAN'T FLY," yelled Miss Yuka.  
  
Capella scratched his head. "Oh, yeah. I forgot you were a chicken."  
  
"That's Canary," screamed Miss Yuka, "But I did see Diddle buying a stamp. Maybe Pelican took him by mistake, thinking he was a letter."  
  
* * *  
  
A little while later, Capella formulated a plan. He would stick a stamp on his head, and attract Pelican. The idea had real merit, except for one thing. Pelican wouldn't listen to him when he tried to explain himself. She grabbed him in her beak, and carried him off to the highway.  
  
Gourry and Lina followed suit. Once there, they got Boink's help in transporting themselves further down the highway. There, they saw a letter, with Diddle's name on it.  
  
Capella ran in and looked at it. "This is definitely his. I better read it for clues. And don't tell him I read this, he'll get mad."  
  
Gourry tried protesting, but it didn't work. Capella read the whole letter, but found nothing that would help him find Diddle. It was only a note to the boy's parents.  
  
They continued on down the road, until they came to the cave of the Chobin Hoods. There, they found a nervous Diddle just standing there. He looked like he wanted to just go home.  
  
"Capella, there you are," he exclaimed.  
  
Capella handed him the letter. "You should be more careful with this," he said, "Let me guess, you put a stamp on your face and got delivered."  
  
Diddle replied, "Wow Capella, you're psychic. I've got a question for you though. Did you open and read my letter by any chance."  
  
That angered Capella. "No, why would I do something like that to my friend?"  
  
"But Capallo," Gourry reminded him, "You did read it because you were looking for clues to where Didal had gotten too."  
  
Diddle ran into the caves crying. Capella followed close behind, trying to apologize. Gourry got a nice hit on the head.  
  
"I better explain to you about when it is and when it is not a good time to lie Gourry. And that was a perfectly good time to lie. Now we better find them," stated Lina.  
  
They went into the caves, and began to follow the path. It was mostly strait forward, with few side trips. Lina lead the way, lighting the darkness with her light spell.  
  
At the back of the cave, they came across a large red dinosaur with two large legs that doubled as arms. His name was Giga Rex. And he looked hungry.  
  
"Gourry," Lina screamed, "Go for the beast's front and make him follow you. Keep him distracted while I charge up my spells. We better send this monster back to the Stone Age before we're the ones who go extinct."  
  
Gourry did just that. While he was fighting, Lina began to call upon her Ly Briem spell. She had figured that a cold-blooded creature like this would be vulnerable to the freezing temperatures of Water Shamanism. As predicted, the monster didn't stand a chance, and was vanquished.  
  
* * *  
  
After fighting the beast, the duo watched as Diddle and Capella made up with each other. Then they went to continue on with their tour of the world. For their troubles, Gourry and Lina received a Gator Skin from Diddle.  
  
When they got home, Lina suddenly decided to go to Lumina. She was going to ask Mina if she had any more magical lamps that could help them on their quest. Meanwhile, Gourry decided to head for Domina in order to get a nice, cool drink.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another story setting up for divided chapter sequences. And we're over half way done, by my reckoning, unless I think of side stories to put in most places. 


	38. Jumi Queen

Jumi Queen  
  
In the bar, Gourry ran into Rooks and Teefa. The two of them were apparently talking about going to Geo and trying to cure Diana's petrification. But Rooks was a little skeptical of two Jumi looking to cure a comrade traveling together, and he didn't want Teefa by herself.  
  
When he saw Gourry, Rooks had an idea. "Gourry, could you take Teefa to Geo and begin the process of curing Diana's petrification?" he asked.  
  
"Sure," Gourry replied, "I won't fail in protecting Teefa while you are away. We'll find whatever cure we need in no time."  
  
Rooks told him, "If it's what I think it is, you'll be able to find the necessary items easily. Teefa knows what to do, so just follow her lead."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at Geo, Gourry saw a key on the ground. "Hey, someone dropped this here. Now who could be so stupid as to leave something this valuable just lying around."  
  
"Baka, that's a key to the heart," Teefa informed him, "In order to cure Diana, we must find the three keys to her heart, and use their magic. Now we must look all over town for the last two keys. They'll only appear to those who the Jumi in question wishes them to appear to, so we don't need to worry about it getting stolen."  
  
* * *  
  
Gourry followed Teefa into town. There, they began to search for the keys. They could find none in the café, so they made their way to the Marketplace.  
  
Once they arrived at the Market, they entered the first shop - - the instrument shop. There, they found the second Key to the Heart on a little table. But it took three to free Diana, so Teefa and Gourry continued their search.  
  
Teefa searched all over the coffee shop, while Gourry got the Jewelry Shop. In all truth, Gourry would much rather have gone to the coffee shop. But in the olden days Jewelry Shops used to sell Jumi Cores, and Teefa was frightened.  
  
Not that there was any reason to be. Ariel, the shop owner, was a kind sort of man. He joked with Gourry, whether it was about life itself or his incredibly girly name. But there was no key to be found in the little shop. As Gourry left, he saw a strange box. Even an idiot like himself could see it wasn't an ordinary box, so he vowed to bring Lina to see it too.  
  
* * *  
  
The final place Gourry and Teefa went was the Academy. Although the library and classrooms held nothing, they managed to find the final key in the Principal's Office. Mr. Mephianse was more than willing to part with it, since Gourry and Lina had helped him out in the past.  
  
With all three keys in their possession, the duo went to the Palace of the Arts in order to find Diana. There, they learned that she was temporarily being held at the Battle Arena, since Kristie was doing spring- cleaning. So Gourry and Teefa headed downstairs.  
  
Once there, they ran into Rooks. He himself had been searching for the keys, with no luck at all. When Teefa tried the first key, they watched as Diana glowed in a bright light. After it died down, they saw a beautiful female Jumi standing where the statue had been.  
  
"You freed me," she said, "You must be the ones who wish to save our race."  
  
"Yes, Lady Diana. Now, can you tell us about the Jewel Hunter? What is she after? And why does she hunt us Jumi?" Rooks asked.  
  
Diana replied, "Her motives are clouded in mystery. But the gist of it is that she wants revenge on all of the Jumi."  
  
"Why?" inquired Teefa, "What did we ever do to her?"  
  
Diana took a deep breath, and told the story. "Ages ago, we were called the race of friendship. With the power of our tears, we healed the wounds of all races. But several hundred years ago, greedy sorcerers began to vie for our Cores. They would hunt and kill us for that power, only to come up empty, as only a Jumi can use their Core's power. Our numbers were greatly reduced after that. So we had to change our ways to adapt to the new times. You are to young to remember the old times Rooks, but you do remember the way we lived before fifteen years ago."  
  
Rooks nodded. "The Clarius heals our Cores with her tears. Only the chosen Clarius can heal. Jumi Guardians work hard, because a new Clarius must be chosen every hundred years in order to preserve her life," he stated.  
  
"Why did that change?" inquired Gourry, "I'm not a Jumi so I don't know."  
  
Diana told him, "Salah - - our Clarius - - was kidnapped by someone. No one knows for sure who it was. Some say it was her replacement Knight - - filling in for Tefoneus who was searching for the Mana Sword and Stone. Others say she was a victim of the Jewel Hunter. But it wasn't safe to stay together anymore, so we all fled."  
  
Suddenly, Zeril came down into the Arena. "So Diana, at last we meet. You Core will be mine now. My goal is almost at hand." With that, she stole Diana's Core and ran away before Gourry and Rooks could draw their swords.  
  
Rooks got mad and threw one of his hat ornaments to the ground. Another one immediately appeared in its place. He looked at Gourry, and said, "You're getting in pretty deep Gourry. If you wish to cut us off, do it now. There're legends about humans who cried for a Jumi and were turned to stone. I don't want to happen to a friend.  
  
"I won't desert you now," Gourry vowed, "Not until I'm sure my duty has been fulfilled."  
  
- - - -  
  
If you were wondering, Baka means fool or idiot in Japanese. In Arcana, Ariel was this old friend of Rooks's. I always wondered why he had a girly name. 


	39. Psychonesis

Psychonesis  
  
When Lina arrived in Lumina, she went to the store to sell some of her junk. There, she saw Gobi standing around and doing business himself. 'This guy's everywhere,' she thought, 'And he's always doing business. Even I don't do these things 24/7.'  
  
"Ah, Lina. It's nice to see you again," Gobi said. He turned away from the shop owner so he could talk to her.  
  
Lina replied, "Nice to see you too."  
  
Gobi smiled at her. "I need your help with a job I'm working on. I've been hearing rumors of a psychonetic Flowerling in the Mindas Ruins. I want to go there and find it, but I can't fight the monsters all by myself. Could you possibly come with me?"  
  
"Sure," Lina answered, "I went there before with my boyfriend. I could lead you around easily." To herself, she added, "I'm the only one who knows the area now, since I did wreck it with my Dragon Slave the last time I went there."  
  
Gobi told her, "Of course he's not real, and we'll see that when we get there. I must prove to the world that this psychonesis stuff doesn't exist."  
  
* * *  
  
They set off instantly. Once at the ruins, Gobi examined the wreck that had once been a famous ruin site. "What in the name of the Goddess happened here?"  
  
"I kind of wrecked it while fighting this vampire I ran into once," Lina replied. "Oh, well," Gobi sighed, "At least we can still find our way around here. You know the way, so lead on Lina."  
  
They walked through the mess carefully. Lina was leading Gobi along, blasting monsters with her magic. Soon, the beasts began to realize that a destructive and deadly sorceress was storming through the ruins. Then, no monster dared try to fight them.  
  
One of the few things that weren't wrecked was the gates the Flowerlings guarded. So Lina was forced to solve the puzzles once again. Luckily, she remembered the orders of the gates they guarded. So she wasn't taking too long to get it done.  
  
After some time passed, they came to a small clearing. There, they saw the male Flowerling who had singled the female to open the ruins for Lina and Gourry. He was walking around and smiling. "Psychonesis is fun," he claimed.  
  
Dollar signs appeared in Gobi's eyes. "Let's catch him Lina, then we can sell him to a circus or something for big bucks."  
  
Instantly, Gobi began to run around the clearing, chasing the Flowerling. Lina just stood there, and sweatdropped. 'Weren't you the one who said he was a fake and we must prove that? Now why do you believe him all of a sudden,' she mused.  
  
Soon the Flowerling teleported away in order to free himself. Gobi was knocked backwards, right onto Lina. The sorceress wasn't a happy camper about being crushed by a fish man. She yelled, "Gobi, if you don't get off me, I'll be having fish for dinner tonight!"  
  
Gobi got up off of her and brushed himself off. "I knew the Flowerling was a fake," he said, "He ran away because he didn't want us to find out. Let's get back to town now. I still have some business to take care of in Geo."  
  
So they began to journey back. But something was wrong. At each gate, one of the key Flowerlings had disappeared - - probably because of Gobi's stunt. Lina was now forced to figure out a new pattern of how to get out of there.  
  
By the time they arrived back at the entrance, Gobi was quite tired. Lina could still go on, but she was annoyed. She almost regretted going here, especially since she hadn't found any treasure here for her to take home.  
  
"Sorry about this whole mess. I guess we'll have to wait until next time to get lucky, eh Lina?" inquired Gobi.  
  
Lina grumbled, "You owe me Gobi. I didn't earn a cent on this little venture. Don't I qualify for guide fees at the least?"  
  
So Gobi handed her some money for her services. Then the two of them left the ruins to teleport for Geo. Gobi had a business transaction to get ready for, and Lina wanted to go check out the academy for magical artifacts again.  
  
* * *  
  
In the café, Lina ran into Rooks and Teefa. They were getting ready to head back to Domina since Zeril was in the area. Rooks had decided to keep far away from her, until they found a way to defeat her and save their race.  
  
"Are you Lina Inverse?" Teefa asked, coming up to the girl. She vaguely remembered the sorceress from the picture Gourry had shown Rooks that day in Domina.  
  
"Yeah, I'm Lina Inverse," she replied, "What do you want with me?  
  
Teefa yelled, "Rooks, guess whose here? It's Gourry's friend. Fancy running into her in a place like this, eh?"  
  
"Oh, so you're Teefa. You're the one who gets lost often," Lina said.  
  
Teefa nodded her head. "Gourry's here, and he'll probably want to speak to you. He's at the coffee shop right now." With that, she skipped away after her Knight.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, now we're gonna solve a mystery in the next chapter. Remember the box? Well, Lina's gonna have a look at that thing. 


	40. Dreamscape

Dreamscape  
  
Lina ran to the coffee shop, where she saw Gourry. The swordsman looked lost in thought, something that didn't happen often. Lina wondered what could cause him of all people to think hard. Whatever it was, it must be deep.  
  
When Gourry saw her, he motioned for his beloved to join him at the table. Lina sat down across from him and ordered plenty of food. "So Gourry, what's up?" she asked.  
  
"There's this box I saw in the jewelry store," he told her, "It seems a little weird. So I wanted to ask you to have a look. You're the expert on magic, not me."  
  
Lina said, "Of course I'll take a look. Maybe I can learn some more magic techniques, or increase my own reserves of power in the process. And that could help us greatly as we solve all these mysteries and try to find the way home."  
  
* * *  
  
They found the shop empty. Ariel had apparently gone out for a little while, or maybe even on a research mission. But he'd left the door unlocked so they went right in. Lina immediately went over to the box in question and had a look.  
  
She gave it a complete look over. "It seems to be sealing something inside. Lets just open it and have a look inside." With that, she opened the cover.  
  
Instantly, a bright light covered the duo. When it cleared, they found themselves in a strange room. In a golden box with a lid that resembled that of a tent was a little bed. On the bed was a young girl with brown hair and hazel eyes. She had on a green dress with black down the center and bordering the sleeves. A green hat with a black band and a golden star sat on her head. On the star, as well as on her chest, was a Fluorite.  
  
"Help me," she whispered, "I've been having bad dreams lately."  
  
At that moment, a woman who resembled a doll entered the box. "Hello, I'm Belle, the witch of dreams. So there you are Salah. You poor dear, those dreams are so nasty that I can't even get inside. What we need is someone to go inside and kill those demons." She eyed Lina and Gourry, who were listening to her words. "You two look promising. And I've seen that the young man has helped a Jumi pair in the past. You're the perfect ones to rescue the Clarius from her nightmares."  
  
She then teleported them into Salah's nightmare. There, the duo found a replica of the Duma Desert. It was full of many strange things, like Revanshe being harassed by dozens of Basket Fish, or Lil' Cactus taking a walk and musing about home.  
  
But they also saw Rooks talking to Tefoneus. She was berating him for his poor showing as a knight, and calling him a lonely pebble in the desert. As usual, Rooks was fighting back against her. He was yelling at the top of his lungs about her mistakes.  
  
When Tefoneus left, Gourry talked to Rooks. But the knight didn't even recognize him. He only said, "I'm Rooks, a Jumi Knight. The Jumi are composed of Knights and Guardians. Knights fight while their Guardians cure their wounds with tears. I let my Guardian die, so I have no right to even call myself a Knight." He then walked away.  
  
'Is he talking about Teefa?' Lina wondered, 'Or a Guardian in the past.' For Jerin and Jared had filled her in on his story, since Gourry didn't remember even how or why he ended up hurt and laying in the swordsman's bed.  
  
A bit further on, they saw the duo again. Rooks was begging Tefoneus to become Teefa and let him protect her again. She was refusing angrily.  
  
Tefoneus told him her story. "Once, when I went on an important mission, I left Salah with my best friend Rimsala. But then Rimsala kidnapped her, and weakened my Core. Now she's out there, making trouble for us all."  
  
"If your Core fails again, will you turn back into Teefa?" asked Rooks.  
  
Tefoneus didn't reply. She just went on her merry way again. Then Rooks left as well. Gourry and Lina followed Tefoneus down the path.  
  
Soon they saw her being tormented by Zeril. The wicked Jewel Hunter had the Knight on the ground - - sick from a lack or water. Then she sent out a Jewel Beast.  
  
Gourry and Lina ran up to fight at once. Lina easily found out how to kill it. In her anger over Zeril's cruelty, she Mega Branded the creature into oblivion.  
  
* * *  
  
The dream had a happy ending. Teefa and Rooks were reunited, and left the desert forever. Tefoneus was able to rest calmly, until the next time she was needed. Thus Gourry and Lina were able to leave the dream safely.  
  
They came back to the world to see Salah sleeping soundly. Belle smiled. "Sweet dreams kiddo. I'll be back if you ever have nightmares again." Then she returned through the warp point, and brought Lina and Gourry out of the box with her.  
  
"I'm going to go find Rooks and Teefa," Gourry said, "They must know about Salah being alive and all. All the Jumi have been searching for her. . .I think."  
  
Lina wrote all they'd seen on a piece of paper. She didn't want to risk Gourry forgetting to tell Rooks and Teefa the news. Then she went to meet Gobi at the café. Hopefully, he'd found a new business transaction that she could get in on.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another mystery solved. I sure can't find many comments anymore. 


	41. The Wallet

The Wallet  
  
Lina went to the café. There she saw Gobi talking to the bartender about something or another. "Find anything?" Lina called.  
  
Gobi dropped his drink when he heard her. "Yes. It's about time I brought some new materials over to Watts at the Ulkan Mines. Would you like to help me?"  
  
"Sure," Lina replied, "Just pay me and I'll come along."  
  
"I like your way of thinking. Let's go to the mines right away. We must arrive before someone else sells Watts his materials," Gobi stated.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina ended up with the job of carrying Gobi's backpack. She wanted to complain, but he'd promised her they'd split the profit 50/50. Gobi had also claimed that this would be a large transaction, and she'd become filthy rich in the process. Lina kept her spirits up by thinking of all of the things she could buy with the money she made. Maybe some nice clothes for special occasions, like if Amelia invited them to a party or something. Or more magic supplies from Geo. If she earned enough, why maybe she'd buy something for Gourry too.  
  
Soon they arrived at Watts's shop. "Oh, it's you Gobi," Watts said, "Do you have some supplies to sell me today?"  
  
Gobi took the pack from Lina and reached into it in order to pull something out. He then ran around the room leaving something in several places. Lina didn't see exactly what he put down, but it looked like he was in a hurry. After he was finished, he pushed Lina out the door. He was rewarded with a Fireball for his rudeness.  
  
They waited several minutes before reentering. Then, Gobi asked Watts, "Where's the payment for the 30,000 Lucre worth of Lorant Silver I left here?"  
  
Watts was shocked. "You left no such thing here. I don't have any Lorant Silver left."  
  
"You must have used it up without noticing," Gobi told him, "If you don't have the money, you'll have to give me goods in exchange."  
  
Watts then began to give them the excuse that he'd lost his wallet. If they brought him a Gator Skin, he'd be able to make them a new one. Then, he'd pay Gobi the 30,000 Lucre, as well as a whole 10,000 extra for the Gator Skin.  
  
Gobi was a bit skeptical, but he did like the sound of the extra 10,000 Lucre. Gator Skin was worth only about 100 Lucre on the market after all. Now all they needed to do was find a reptile to slay for the skin.  
  
"I have some Gobi. It was a reward for saving this kid's life. I am getting something out of this whole job, and selling it off for 100 times the street value is something I just love doing. I've got to make my money somehow," Lina told him.  
  
So they gave the skin to Watts. Then they were forced to wait outside for him to finish. Lina began to experiment with her light spell, although it was pretty light in the mine. After a few minutes, they returned to Watts's shop.  
  
"Now for the money Gobi," Watts said. He reached into his new wallet, and screamed. "Where's my money? I had 50,000 Lucre in this wallet before!"  
  
'How could you retrieve your money in a new wallet?' Lina thought, 'Did this guy go to the Gourry Gabriev school of thinking?'  
  
Watts yelled, "You two swindlers must have taken all of my money when you gave me the Gator Skin. You thieves."  
  
"Look whose talking," Gobi replied, "I'll just be taking some goods then in lieu of payment for the Skin and Silver." He then ran around the room and took 40,000 Lucre worth of weapons and armor. Then, Gobi gave 20,000 Lucre worth of goods to Lina.  
  
The sorceress wondered if Gobi really had left something there, or if he was swindling the blacksmith. Not that that bothered her much, money was money. Besides, it wasn't as if she herself had done anything bad this time.  
  
"I think I'm a fool," mumbled Watts.  
  
* * *  
  
"Goodbye Lina," Gobi said, "May our paths cross again one day down the road." With that, he walked off on his own. Lina returned home to find that Gourry hadn't returned yet. She figured he was still looking for Rooks and Teefa. The world was a big place, and it was against all odds that he'd run into them in the first spot he checked. It might even take a week or two to locate his friends, and then it might take more time to do whatever Salah might want the three to do for her.  
  
So she just sat down and read a book on sorcery she'd brought at off of Gobi one time. When she got bored, Lina went to Polpota to sell off the weapons and armor she'd gotten for helping Gobi out. Just then, she had a strange feeling. It was as if something or someone was telling her to stay in Polpota for some odd reason. Lina then went to wait at the café.  
  
"Could Gourry be coming here? Is this vision telling me to wait for him, the way he waited for me when I fought Kronos?" she whispered.  
  
Of course no one was around to answer her. So the young sorceress just sat there sipping her drink and eating her food. As Lina looked up at the sky, she saw the stars above twinkling brightly. She smiled, knowing she and Gourry would be together again soon.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, more sweet scenes. Lina's happy, now to see what's up with Gourry. 


	42. City of Jewels

City of Jewels  
  
In Domina, Gourry went to the church. He hadn't been able to find Teefa and Rooks at the bar, so he wondered if they might be praying or something. There, he ran into Inspector Boyd. The little mouse man wanted him to help investigate a shop in Geo that once sold Jumi Cores a long time ago. It was abandoned at the present, and he wondered if Zeril was using it as a base of operations or a hideout.  
  
When they arrived in Geo, they went to Ariel's store. Gourry and Liger 0 went inside, but the Inspector was blocked from entering by a force field. Even Gourry had enough sense to wonder how it had an owner just the other day.  
  
Suddenly, Teefa ran inside and knocked into Gourry. Rooks came in after her. The Knight told his friend, "We've been checking around and found out something strange. Everyone else in Geo sees this as an abandoned building. And no one knows who in the heck Ariel is. It's as if a powerful spell was cast to make this place less suspicious."  
  
Gourry looked at his note. "Guys, help me open the box," he yelled, "Lina and I came here before, and saw a girl locked inside. She was a Jumi."  
  
Rooks opened the box. The white light took them inside. Waiting for them there was Salah, who looked ill.  
  
"Salah, you're hurt. Let me help you out," Teefa begged.  
  
Salah shook her head. "No Teefa. I don't want a part of your Core. You must turn off that white heart of yours." Instantly, Teefa began to glow in a white light. When it cleared, Tefoneus stood in her place.  
  
"What of the Mana Sword and Stone that I sent you to find all those years ago Tefoneus? Do they exist?" Salah asked.  
  
Tefoneus shook her head. "I could never locate them. I am sorry Salah. Our race was brought to the brink of destruction, all because I was unable to awaken and stop Zeril from stealing the Cores of our people."  
  
Rooks inquired, "How come when I found you in the desert fifteen years ago you had a black Core, but acquired a white one as I held you in my arms? If you are really the Legendary Knight, how was Teefa born?"  
  
"It was about twenty years ago," Tefoneus began, "I was sent on an important mission for Salah, to find the Mana Sword and Stone. She hoped to use them to protect our race from the Deathbringer, who we were at war with. In the meantime, I left her under the care of Rimsala, a female Knight whose Guardian had died in the war. Little did I know, after five years we would have a crisis on our hands."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Tefoneus and Rimsala had met at the desert oasis. The second knight had black hair and red eyes. Her dress was a green sundress with a slit in it. White heels were on her feet. The Alexandrite Core on her chest was shining bright purple in the night air. Apparently Rimsala had kidnapped Salah from the city because she was sick from all of her healing during the war. But now the Jumi race as a whole was threatened with extinction. So the Legendary Knight took it upon herself to send the Clarius home.  
  
"Salah is dying," Rimsala said, "You know very well that if the war drags on she will fade away from her fatigue."  
  
"Our people are dying. We chose a Clarius for the sake of the race as a whole. Salah knows her life will save hundreds of Jumi," Tefoneus begged.  
  
A glint was in Rimsala's eye. "Salah is too kind and gentle to die like that. The cruel and unfeeling Jumi that caused her condition should be the ones to die, not her. I won't rest until I get revenge on all Jumi for their hearts of stone."  
  
Before Tefoneus could react, Rimsala threw a note at her. It struck the Knight right in her Core, scratching it. The wound wasn't life threatening, but it was still much worse than the one Rooks got in Mikev.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a voice yelling, "Rimsalah! You must not hurt a comrade." The Knight retreated as Rooks ran out from the trees around the oasis. He knew he couldn't chase the woman very far, but he then saw Tefoneus. Rooks picked the girl up in his arms. Suddenly, she shone with white light. When it died down, Teefa was there in her place.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Teefa was born from your damaged Core," Salah stated, "And she's been getting her revenge by posing as Zeril the Jewel Hunter, while hiding me here for my safety as Ariel, the kindly shop owner."  
  
With that, Tefoneus became Teefa again. Then, Salah requested that Gourry go with either Teefa or Rooks to the Bejeweled City - - home of the Jumi. She figured that's where Rimsala would be.  
  
After thinking for a little while, Gourry chose Teefa. Neither he nor Rooks felt secure leaving her alone, even in the hiding place. Besides, it was destiny for Rimsala and Tefoneus to fight each other.  
  
They left instantly for the city. When Gourry saw it, he let out a gasp. The city was in fact a mountain made of stone. But rooms had been carved out of the sides. And jewels of all kinds had been imbedded on the side of the rocks.  
  
- - - -  
  
In Arcana, Rimsala was an evil empress in the form of a dragon, and then a woman with a snake's body and dragonfly wings. She was the last boss. Well, Gourry's going to his section final battle now. Then we'll reunite him with Lina. 


	43. Broken Curses

Broken Curses  
  
"This is the Bejeweled City," stated Teefa, "In the old language, it is called Etansel. I can feel it, Rimsala is here. We must go onwards."  
  
They went into each of the four rooms on that floor to find a gemstone. When they arrived at the locked stairs, Teefa felt funny. Suddenly, she became Tefoneus. They ran ahead, and killed another Jewel Beast. After the battle, Teefa changed back into her Guardian form. Then they placed the gems on the two pedestals in the correct order, and opened the door. After picking up the gems they used again, they went on.  
  
On the second level, they had to do the same thing. Only this time, they were only given two more gems, and there were three pedestals. But a Jewel Beast was waiting for them again. Teefa transformed for the battle, and then turned back.  
  
In one of the rooms, they saw a group of Jumi discussing the situation. It was in fact an illusion of fifteen years ago. When they realized that Salah had gone missing, they all went to look for her. "I'm sorry everyone," Teefa whispered.  
  
They continued on to the third level, making sure they had all of the gems they had found so far. There, they found one more gem room. In another room, they saw Esmeralda's and her sisters preparing to leave the city. The sisters were going to help Reubens search for Salah, but Esmeralda had other plans. She informed them, "I wish to go to Geo and learn magic. Since I can not cry, I wish to be a Knight like Lady Tefoneus. I want to help the race in some way."  
  
Teefa and Gourry were moved by her words. They went on and fought the final Jewel Beast-with Tefoneus of course - - and then placed the gems and went upstairs. Finally, they were at the Room of the Clarius.  
  
Inside was Rimsala in her Ariel disguise. Salah was sleeping on her own bed. Tefoneus wondered how and when she'd come here. "Welcome Tefoneus," Ariel said, "Let us not waste any time. Shall we return to our true forms."  
  
With that, white light surrounded the duo. They then became Tefoneus and Rimsala again. Suddenly, the mysterious red cloaked man from Mikev appeared again. He introduced himself as Galneon, the Lord of Jewels.  
  
Instantly, Tefoneus realized the horrible truth. Galneon was swallowing the Cores of all of the Jumi Rimsala had killed over the years. "Why do you swallow the Cores in the first place? What purpose could it serve?"  
  
Rimsala said, "His stomach is like that of a black hole. Everything he eats fuses together. My master has already swallowed 998 Cores. It will take 1000 to save Salah. It seems we are only two short, eh. Luckily we just got number 999 recently."  
  
With that, Galneon swallowed the Core in his hands. Suddenly, Tefoneus realized what jewel the Core was. "Lapis Lazuli," she said, "How dare you kill my beloved Rooks. I will never forgive you." With that, she blasted him with Attribute 11.  
  
Rimsala then told Galneon, "Take my Core master. Then defeat these fools and shed tears for Salah." With that, Rimsala took out her own Core, and died.  
  
Galneon suddenly became a monster with tentacles under his cloak. But even with his new found powers, he was no match for an angry Tefoneus. And Gourry knew from experience what happens when you do something to a woman's beloved.  
  
Tefoneus fired another Attribute 11 off at Galneon. Gourry took the instance to slash the monster to death. Galneon began to convulse and die.  
  
Tefoneus looked at Salah. "Are the Jumi really fated to die? Galneon ate all of the Cores, so you can't save the people who were killed. We're the only two of our kind left. With no males around, we're in deep trouble."  
  
Gourry began to cry. It was sad to see such nice people like Rooks and Esmeralda unable to return to life because of an evil plot. They wouldn't be able to get another chance like Lina had when she met with the dragons. His tears were then transformed into a crystal form, the legendary Teardrop Crystal. Suddenly, his body began to turn to stone - - just like in the old Jumi legends. Then, all of the dead Jumi were brought back to life.  
  
Tefoneus saw Rooks the second he appeared. She then transformed back into Teefa, and ran into his arms. But then the Guardian noticed Gourry. "Everyone," she begged, "Can you give me a little life for Gourry? He saved us, so lets save him."  
  
* * *  
  
Lina was eating up a storm in Polpota. Suddenly, a real storm broke out. Lina went to find a room for the night, and brought all of her food with her.  
  
The next day, she returned to the café to eat some more. Lina was wondering why in the world that Gourry was so late. Her instinct had said she'd find him at Polpota.  
  
"Lina, here you are," a voice whispered. The sorceress turned around to see Teefa walking with Rooks. The duo was quite happy to see her, and they sat down by her in the café.  
  
Before she could ask them what was going on, Lina heard Gourry calling, "Lina I'm so happy to see you again. I really missed you."  
  
Lina turned around and saw him by the entrance of the café. Then, the most amazing thing happened. The young sorceress put down her food, and ran over to her beloved. When she reached Gourry, Lina jumped into his arms, and gave him a big kiss.  
  
- - - -  
  
Awww. . .a little fluff in the end. But wait, there's more. We still have one more ultimate evil to get through, and several side quests. 


	44. Fairies & Demons

Fairies and Demons  
  
Gourry, Teefa, and Rooks told Lina what had happened in the Bejeweled City. The young sorceress then pulled her beloved close, and asked him not to ever do something like that. "If you do," she threatened, "You're gonna get it so bad. I'll probably be in the state of mind to Dragon Slave you into oblivion. At least you made it back safely."  
  
"I promise Lina, I won't do anything to make you cry, ever," vowed Gourry.  
  
Teefa said, "Well, you two make a cute couple. You argue more than anyone I know, but you still managed to show each other that you care."  
  
Lina blushed. "We have been close friends for three years now. It's only natural we know each other's little quirks and how to live with them. Like how I can tell when Gourry is being stupid, and don't Fireball him as much as before."  
  
They talked well into the afternoon. Then, they all said their good- byes, and went their separate ways. Lina and Gourry decided to go to the Jungle. She was hoping to ask Rosiotti for help in returning to their own world.  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at Rosiotti's lair, they found the penguin sisters Roan and Selkie were upset. Apparently, the fairies were acting quite strange lately. They wanted help figuring out their motives. So they asked Gourry and Lina.  
  
"Sure we will," Lina replied, "It sounds like fun." But she was really thinking about the treasures she might find in their possession.  
  
So they headed to the Fairies' Territory. There, they saw a circle of fairies gathered around a nun from Gato. The woman was definitely hurt.  
  
"This one has no elemental powers. Bring me the priestess from Gato's Temple," one fairy yelled to her companions.  
  
Another inquired, "Is that the one who looks like a million year old hag?"  
  
The first shook her head. "No, Lord Evans says that she's only 26. Her looks must betray her true age. Maybe it's a type of magic unknown to us."  
  
As the fairies argued over why their lord wanted a human as their queen, a man entered the area. He was a humanoid monkey with cone like hair. A green headband was on his head. His gauntlets, armor, and shoes were all green with golden linings. His pants were tan, with a golden belt and some gold braces on his legs. And he was mad.  
  
"Fairies," he yelled, "You will pay for harming a holy woman." With that, he jumped and began to punch the fairies to death. Not one got away.  
  
"Darn fairies, when did they become Evans's henchmen," he mumbled. Then he noticed Gourry and Lina. "You, take her to Rosiotti. He's one of the Wisdoms."  
  
But the nun refused help. She got up, and walked on her own back to the temple. The man then told Gourry and Lina, "This is the territory of the fairies. You must leave immediately. We must not start a war between our two kinds." Then he ran off.  
  
Lina wondered why he could stay, but she couldn't. 'He must be after the treasure too. I have to get to it before he does,' she thought. Then she began to drag Gourry through the dense jungle. Along the way, they were forced to kill of the monsters that served the fairies.  
  
In a clearing, they saw a little green demon called a Punk Master. "You must leave," he said, "We do not like humans here."  
  
Lina asked, "What are you hiding for the fairies?"  
  
The monster laughed. "Just like you, a man came by and asked about Lord Evans awhile ago. He's been living in the Land of Fairies for the past ten years. Lord Evans will be the one to annihilate the human race and become king of both worlds. Now leave, or die."  
  
"Don't threaten me!" Lina yelled, "No one dares to mess with Lina Inverse. The ones who did, all died horrible deaths."  
  
"You can never kill me. Now die," Punk Master screamed.  
  
Lina rolled her eyes. This thing wasn't so scary. It was barely big enough to scratch her on the arm. She sighed, "If you want to die so badly. Fireball." Then, it was killed.  
  
* * *  
  
"Thanks," Roan said, "Most fairies don't like humans very much. But I never though they would go this far. What should we do, Lord Rosiotti?"  
  
"Ummmmmmm. . .he's been asleep the whole time you've been speaking," Selkie stated. Roan facefaulted, and then sweatdropped.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Gourry headed home after that. They were tired from their long day's work. The duo just wanted to eat some good food, and get some rest.  
  
Gourry asked, "Hey Lina, let's go and get some good food at Gato again tomorrow. They were the most delicious dishes I've ever tasted. I knew that all temples must have a good cook."  
  
Lina thought better about Fireballing him, and threw her pillow in his face instead. "I don't get you some times, but I do agree that the food is good. We should go there again tomorrow. And maybe we can go explore the caves again while we're there."  
  
So they all had a nice dinner filled with all of the best food. After that, Lina put on a magic demonstration in the yard. Finally, it was time to go to sleep.  
  
- - - -  
  
Evans was the main demon in BoF II. Nuff said. 


	45. Drinking it Up

Drinking it Up  
  
The next day, they went to Gato to have some good food. Lina and Gourry made the other people in the area look at them with wide eyes. No one could understand how they could eat that much without bursting. Especially since Lina was out eating Gourry.  
  
After lunch, they went to the caves to look for an adventure. Near the end, they saw a cave. Lina decided to go inside and check it out.  
  
Inside was a pair of worried nuns. Around them, were a group of barrels. When Lina looked inside, she saw they were empty.  
  
"A strange fish man came by and drank all of the Sacred Elixir," one cried, "Without it, we can't perform the sacred rituals. Oh, if only we had a barrel in my soul. Then I could go to the desert and pick up some of the water from the oasis."  
  
When Lina and Gourry left, they saw a drunken Gobi. He thought they were both monsters, and began to attack. Lina sweatdropped, and Flare Arrowed him. After he went down, she went by to see what was up.  
  
Gobi had apparently been the one to drink all of the Elixir. He had so much, that he had gotten drunk. With some rest, he would recover. So Lina just left him and went to get some more Elixir for the temple. Hopefully, a temple could reward her greatly.  
  
* * *  
  
In Geo, she heard about how the Manager in Lumina had helped the local bartender get a barrel in his soul. Since that was what the nun wanted, Lina decided to head for Lumina on the fly. It was the only way to carry the Elixir to the temple.  
  
When she talked to the Manager of Lumina, he began to tell her a story about how the bar had gotten the name Mischievous Spirits. Apparently, there were spirits who took tastes of the wine in the barrel, making the level of liquid go down. Lina sat on with fake interest. She'd seen more drinking in one day when she traveled with Nahga than left the barrel in a week.  
  
"Do you know why this happens?" asked the Manager.  
  
Lina replied, "Sure I do." But she sounded bored as she spoke.  
  
The Manager smiled. "That's good kid. You must have a barrel in your soul too. Only someone with a barrel in their soul understands."  
  
Lina suddenly felt different. Like there was some other burden in her soul besides her magic. She figured that it must be the barrel he spoke about.  
  
* * *  
  
With that, Lina and Gourry headed for the Duma Desert. They then began to head for the Oasis to get the Elixir. But neither knew where exactly it was, so they got lost for some time. Gourry and Lina did nearly kill each other over the food they'd brought along though. Along the way, they heard a roar coming from an area in the middle of the desert.  
  
After some time, they arrived at the Oasis. Lina then began to gather the water in the barrel in order to take it to Gato. Gourry snuck some of the food when she wasn't looking, and was rewarded with a Fireball. When they were finished, they returned to Gato in order to give them the Elixir. The nuns were overjoyed since they could now conduct the ceremonies. Lina was rewarded with a big bag of Lucre for a job well done.  
  
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," a nun said.  
  
"No I should be thanking you," Lina said, "Your temple's food is the greatest in this whole world. And I'm an excellent judge of good food."  
  
* * *  
  
Back home, Lina began to think about the noise she had heard. It didn't sound like any creature she'd ever met in her life. Maybe she could find some kind of treasure that it was guarding. Or its hide could be sold for Lucre.  
  
But when she checked on the pets, she found that all of them were sick with a virus that affected monsters. So she headed to Domina for medicine. After giving it to each of them, she realized that they wouldn't be able to come with her and Gourry.  
  
She told him, "We'll just have to go without them. I still can't get any good Logic Blocks to make the Golems actually fight well. So the two of us will have to go to the desert to hunt the monster by ourselves. How hard can it be?"  
  
"I'll definitely go with you. I never want to see you get hurt Lina. It would just break my heart if something happened to you," he replied.  
  
Then Gourry gave Lina a nice kiss. She made the most of it, and embraced him. They continued for a little while, until Jared came in.  
  
"Ewwwwwwwwwwwww. . .they're kissing," he cried.  
  
Jerin told him, "When you get older, you'll want to give your girlfriend kisses too. It's just the way that the world works."  
  
Jared looked green. "Never, I'll never want to kiss a girl. It's just so disgusting."  
  
'I'd like to see if you still think that in ten years,' thought Lina.  
  
They then prepared to head out for the desert again. Lina was excited about what she might find there. Whether it was treasure or a monster hide worth millions, she had a feeling that the beast would give her something good.  
  
- - - -  
  
Another monster fight next time. And the pets are gone for a reason. You'll see then. 


	46. Tikkle & Kima

Tikkle and Kima  
  
When they arrived at the desert, they again heard the roars of the monster. Lina fought to keep her footing, but Gourry fell down on the ground. After the sound had ceased, Lina helped her beloved to his feet.  
  
"We better find what's going one here," she said, "I bet the beast is worth a lot of Lucre." Then she ran ahead, and Gourry followed close behind.  
  
Shortly after that, they saw a creature called a Shaigin crying on a rock. He was a round fish with duck feet and flippers for arms. In his hand - - if you could call it that - - was a spear. With the other fin, he wiped away a tear.  
  
"I'll show them all. I can be just as strong a monster as them. I'll go and beat up Kima, then they won't laugh at me again," he rambled. But when the roars started up again, the monster freaked out and ran behind Lina to hide.  
  
Lina told him, "You won't prove anything by hiding behind me. Tell you what, Gourry and I will go with you and kill Kima. All I ask for is whatever of value we can find after we defeat him." The Shaigin was shocked. "You'd do that for me? But you don't even know who I am. I'm Tikkle, the biggest chicken among the Shaigins."  
  
"Mercenaries don't really care who they help, as long as they get paid," Lina stated, "And you're hiring the best of the best here."  
  
"Let's go then. The earth shakes when Kima walks," Tikkle informed her. * * *  
  
They walked around the desert, following Tikkle's lead. Lina immediately saw how weak the creature was. He was getting pretty beat even while fighting the weakest enemies. Thus, after each battle, Lina cast Recovery on him.  
  
Finally, they arrived at an empty clearing. Out of the ground came what appeared to be a long stem with a Dragon's head. Wrapped around his body was what appeared to be thick vines. And boy was he angry about being interrupted.  
  
Tikkle yelled, "That's Kima. He's the biggest, baddest monster in the whole desert. He'll chew us up and spit us out if we're not careful."  
  
As if on cue, Kima grabbed Tikkle in his mouth, and spit him to the side of a sand dune. The little Shaigin was out of the battle. The monster turned towards Lina and Gourry with a glint in his eyes. He was apparently still hungry.  
  
"Alright you overgrown plant, take this. Flare Lance!" screamed Lina. But the beast was barely scratched by the attack.  
  
"Dang," Lina muttered, "This guy's tough."  
  
At that moment, Gourry ran in and slashed Kima. He then jumped backwards in order to avoid the monster's mouth. "Lina, I'm going around for another pass at him. When he's still on the recovery, cast a spell on him."  
  
So Gourry ran at him again. While he was still fighting with Kima, Lina began to recite the chant for the Demona Crystal spell. Her timing was right, when she was ready to cast the spell, Gourry had finished up his attack and jumped out of the way. The second the frozen temperatures hit Kima, he turned into an ice statue, fell to the ground, and shattered.  
  
Lina went over to where Tikkle lay. She healed up the Shaigin, and helped him to his feet. Immediately, she ran over and tried to find what Kima had dropped. But all that she found was a Flat Seed and a Spiny Seed.  
  
"What can I do with these?" she questioned, "We have plenty of seeds back home, so why would we want more?"  
  
"Can I have them then? When I look at these things, I will remember your bravery and courage for fighting Kima. Then I will be inspired to fight the ones that tease me," Tikkle said.  
  
Lina handed him the two seeds, and sighed. Another business transaction without some sort of reward. She walked out of the desert, slouching as she went on. Gourry followed close behind, promising to take her out to diner for her troubles.  
  
* * *  
  
Back home, Lina decided that she wanted to visit with Rutee for a little bit. She then decided to bring Gourry along, and formally introduce the two. After all, the only time they'd spoken was when Rutee led him to where she was sleeping.  
  
"Let's go Gourry, I'm sure you and her will get along," said Lina.  
  
"Who was Rutee again?" Gourry inquired, "I know that name from somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it. Is she a sorceress?"  
  
Lina reminded him, "Rutee is the Dragoon of Atwight. She's the one whose master saved me when Kronos killed me. She led you to me after I was knocked unconscious. We went to the Underworld together and conquered Kronos's fortress Dycroft."  
  
Gourry thought for a moment. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the one with the fur and the big ears." "Yes, that's the one. We're going to visit her at the forest. I would like to know what's been going on since we parted after the battle."  
  
So the duo packed their lunches and prepared to head on out. Once finished, they told the twins where they were going. Then Lina and Gourry set out for the White Forest right away.  
  
- - - -  
  
Another adventure. Well, we're going to have a ball next chapter. Originally, you couldn't do this chapter with five pets, but I don't really care in this one. 


	47. Forest Chase

Forest Chase  
  
When Lina and Gourry arrived at the White Forest, they saw Hamson, Skippie, and Sotherbee making plans. The little dog man was promising to pay 100,000 Lucre for every Lilipea they brought back. And to whoever managed to catch the most, he would reward them with an executive position in Kristie's business.  
  
Skippie ran off instantly. But Hamson just stood there trying to sort out the description of the creatures Sotherbee gave. "Maybe you should just gather pebbws or something," the dog man said. Then Hamson ran in the opposite direction.  
  
As Hamson got going, Lina walked up to Sotherbee. "I'll be willing to help catch some too," she told him, "Will you be willing to pay me if I catch any?"  
  
Sotherbee turned and saw her. No doubt he recognized her as the one who burned him for trying to cheat her back in the Jungle. "Sure, just don't hurt me again."  
  
Gourry asked, "Just what did you do Lina?"  
  
"Only showed him not to try and con Lina Inverse out of money if you want to live a long and healthy life. Now let's go," she echoed.  
  
* * *  
  
Along the way, they ran into both Hamson and Skippie. Both were chasing Lilipeas around in circles. When Lina joined the chase, they ended up colliding into each other. The Lilipeas took that opportunity to run into the bushes.  
  
In two other areas, they saw barrels. When Lina went to investigate, out popped a Lilipea. Both of them saw the duo, and quickly ran into the bushes in order to get away from the humans. Lina began to get mad.  
  
"How come I'm always getting bad business deals? First that overgrown flytrap and now these pink weirdoes. This sure hasn't been my day for making money." With that, Lina took the nearest path with Gourry following close behind.  
  
As they walked through the forest, they saw Hamson and Skippie near a path. Skippie had deduced it to be the entrance to the Lilipea village. He got into the starting position for a dash, and prepared to run in and grab the Lilipeas.  
  
But suddenly, he reversed his decision. "You know what Hamson?" he asked, "I'm gonna let you have 'em instead."  
  
"We're alike, but we're not alike. It don't matter to me no more," Hamson replied.  
  
The two then made a pact to start their lives over again. They decided to leave Kristie and go on their own adventures. Neither cared where the road took them.  
  
Skippie stated, "We're runnin' from debt, they might try and track us down. And I don't want to run with a slowpoke like you."  
  
"How can I hang around a guy with toothpicks for arms? How do you keep 'em from breaking when you fight?" wondered Hamson.  
  
They then agreed to go their separate ways for an adventure. Skippie ran off to the East, while Hamson lumbered west. Lina only imagined how long it would take Sotherbee to realize that his workers weren't coming back.  
  
"Oh well, no use worrying about that," Lina said, "We'll just be that much more richer when we get all the Lilipeas."  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "How do you think we should go about this? They did avoid you the last time you tried to catch them."  
  
Lina told him, "I don't know. We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it. Come on, let's go and get 'em." With that, she pushed him down the path.  
  
* * *  
  
In the village, they saw a harpy named Nuevelle reading a book. He told them that he was here to study the Lilipeas. Then, he offered to translate their language to the warriors. But it was mostly about stuff about daily life, nothing interesting.  
  
The only one with anything to say was the elder. He began to go on about a monster in the north of the woods. The Lilipea then asked Lina and Gourry to kill it. When Lina pressed him for a reward, Nuevelle promised that he'd supply her with something. "Lilipeas don't have any money or precious minerals. So there's no point in asking them."  
  
"Why me," groaned Lina.  
  
* * *  
  
In the north, they found a monster like the one Lina fought with Gobi on the Highway. The only difference was that it had a steel exoskeleton. Its name was Hegas Ant.  
  
"Boring," taunted Lina, "Where's a true challenge. This thing won't kill a sorceress of my caliber. Gourry, distract it while I give it some major hurting." With that, she began to speak the chant that brought forth the spell Demona Crystal.  
  
When the spell was cast, Lina managed to hit the monster without freezing Gourry in the process. It then fell to the ground, dead. They returned to the Lilipea village.  
  
Nuevelle gave them some precious metal for their trouble. "They say this Altena Alloy is the most powerful metal in the world, even better than Lorimar Iron. I'm sure you'll find some use for this little piece of it. I'm staying in the village to study the Lilipeas, but I hope to meet you again."  
  
For the rest of the day, Lina and Gourry visited with Rutee and Atwight. The girls began to joke about their experiences in the Underworld, as Gourry sat on looking vacant. Lina filled Gourry in on what they were talking about. After that was over, the duo returned home for bed.  
  
- - - -  
  
I just recently found out that Lorimar Iron and Altena Alloy were stronger than Ishe Platinum. So I'm just finding a way to fix this little mistake. 


	48. The Musician & the Shadoles

The Musician & the Shadoles  
  
Lina and Gourry woke up early. Realizing they had nothing to do, they decided to head to Lumina. As usual, it was for the food at the bar.  
  
When they arrived, they saw that Diddle and Capela were performing again. Suddenly, Diddle up and left again. Capela wasn't worried, he'd come back. But when he didn't, the juggler began to worry and went to search.  
  
When Lina and Gourry finished and went to leave the town, they saw Diddle walking. But before they could get to him, a group of Shadoles appeared. Before anyone knew what was happening, they took Diddle into the Underworld with them.  
  
"Diddle," screamed Capela. He then ran to the Underworld to save his friend.  
  
"What are we waiting for?" asked Lina, "Let's go and rescue him. You don't know how bad it is down there. You can't use magic, or touch another living person."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived, they saw Leon sitting and reading a book on battle. "Oh, it's you Lina. What brings you back here?"  
  
Lina replied, "We're searching for a monkey boy named Capela. He came to save his friend Diddle from the Shadoles."  
  
"Oh, the kid that just ran past a minute ago. He went into the Underworld. If you're going to save him, go right on and do it. You're magic isn't going to disappear since you aren't dead when you enter," Leon told her.  
  
Lina and Gourry went into the Underworld. They began to run downstairs in order to search for Diddle. Some time later, they found a Shadole that threw them right to the bottom. Once there, they ran into Pokiehl.  
  
"People think the Underwold is the home of the dead but it's really the home for those who cling to life," he admitted, "If you still value your life, avoid the Shadoles. They will try to drag you to the bottom of the Underworld."  
  
Taking the warning to heart, Lina and Gourry ran towards the top of the Underworld. But sometimes they would run into a Shadole who'd send them back down. Even then, neither was willing to give up so soon and give in to the Shadoles. As they showed their determination, less Shadoles would come to bug them, until there were few.  
  
Sometime later, they found Diddle and Capela arguing. Apparently, Diddle wanted to stay and get away from the world, while Capela wanted to save him from the Shadoles. All the way, a group of Shadoles began to bother them.  
  
The last straw was when Diddle promised to never become a Shadole, and to come back after Capela made the world a better. They began to laugh at the thought of a person not becoming a Shadole. Then they gave him a challenge to get to the top without being killed by the monsters. Diddle took the challenge, and ran up with Capela.  
  
As Lina and Gourry tried to go on, they ran into a duo of mummified gorillas. Lina got mad and Fireballed them. But that didn't faze the beasts. One of them managed to hit Lina and knock her back as she charged up another.  
  
"Lina," screamed Gourry. With fire in his eyes, he ran at the monsters and began to slash away. He continued his attack, even after the beasts were just a pile of bandages.  
  
Gourry picked up Lina in his arms. He held her close, and began to carry her to the entrance. When they arrived at Olbohn's chamber, he put her down so she could rest.  
  
"Gourry," Lina whispered, "Thank you. I'll just apply a healing spell, and be better soon." Gourry nodded. "Then we'll wait until you get better before going onwards. It's not like we have anything else to do."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at the surface, they saw Diddle and Capela looking at the stars. Diddle asked to spend some more time there. Capela said that they could only stay a little longer, since he didn't want to break the promise he made not to smile just because.  
  
But Diddle replied, "It's ok, I don't care if you smile. You don't have to believe everything I said when I was in the Underworld. Stars spin as they fall when you're trying to catch you breath."  
  
"What does that mean?" asked Capela.  
  
Diddle laughed. "It's a secret."  
  
'Oh great,' Lina though, 'A few hour in the Underworld and the kid's becoming another Xellos.'  
  
* * *  
  
In Domina, they found Miss Yuka in a fix. Her little pet, Pee Wee, wasn't hatching on time. So she had asked Mei Mei what she needed to save him. The fortune teller told her to get some Menos Bronze, Baobab Wood, Animal Hide, Topple Cotton, Flat Seed, Citrisquid, Rotten Meat, and Sulpher. But she didn't know where to find some.  
  
"Hey Miss Yuka, we have the items. If you give me something in return, I'll give them to you for Pee Wee," Lina said.  
  
She was more than happy to agree. In exchange for the items, Lina and Gourry were given a Revive Ring. Thinking it was junk, Lina ended up selling it for 2000 Lucre.  
  
They decided to head for the temple the next day. Lina was hoping to get some relaxation and the good food that came with it. That night, she and Gourry went to sleep dreaming about eating a huge feast at the temple outcropping.  
  
- - - -  
  
Another two combined into one. The only reason I had Gourry save Lina was that she'd done it twice already, and I'm scrambling for battle differences. Well, we're going to start getting into the next big enemy in the next chapter. 


	49. The Demon's Arrival

The Demon's Arrival  
  
Lina and Gourry woke up and headed to Gato. While at the café on the outcropping, they saw the man they encountered in the Jungle. He was mumbling something about demons while eating his food. When he finished, he went to the temple.  
  
"I'll bet something's going on," Lina said, "I'll stake my reputation on it. Let's go." With that, she dragged Gourry to the temple.  
  
* * *  
  
In the hallway, they ran into Katt. She recognized them from their earlier encounters, and said hello. Then she asked, "Do you know a man named Sten? He's an old friend of Abbess Matilda, and he just came back after ten years. Go on inside, I will allow it." With that, she opened the door to the Abbess's room.  
  
Inside, they saw the man from the Jungle arguing with an elderly woman in priest robes. Then man named Sten was telling her of the evil of the demon Evans. But Matilda was just happy that both of her old friends were alive.  
  
When Sten saw them, he was surprised. "I guess you heard everything. A demon is trying to kill the Abbess. Will you help me destroy him?"  
  
Just then Katt entered the room and chided Sten. She then asked him to leave. Sten walked out vowing to kill Evans.  
  
"Do you want to hear about Evans and Sten?" asked Katt.  
  
"Sure," Lina replied, "Nothing better to do."  
  
Katt began, "Matilda, Evans, Sten and myself all grew up together. Matilda was born into a family of priests, while Sten and I were born into families of warriors. Evans was a half demon, but Matilda and I treated him the same as we treated Sten. But Sten was always suspicious of him, and attacked Evans one day in the mine. Neither of them has been seen until now."  
  
Just then, a yellow clad nun entered the room. She walked over to Matilda with a glint in her eyes. Suddenly, a blast of power knocked Katt and Gourry over.  
  
"For our lord," she whispered. Then the nun and Matilda disappeared.  
  
Katt got up and ran out of the room. "Abbess Matilda has been kidnapped. Seal all exits."  
  
* * *  
  
They chased the nun to the caves. Once there, the trail went cold. Sten arrived, and began to fume about the whole situation.  
  
"I told you," he yelled, "It's the work of that demon. He's out to kill Matilda."  
  
Katt retorted, "And whose fault is it that Evans went mad? You're the one who attacked him for no reason at all."  
  
"He was trying to kill Matilda by stealing her elemental powers and it's my duty as a warrior to defend the priestess," Sten continued.  
  
After watching the debate for a half-hour, Lina got bored. "If you two are done with your squabble, can we get on with it? Jeez, and I thought Gourry and I argued a lot. Finding Matilda should be our top priority about now."  
  
"Yes Miss Lina. The only place they could be is in the Meditation Room. I've ordered it open just in case," Katt told them. Then she and Sten ran off.  
  
"What are we waiting for?" inquired Lina, "Let's go fight that demon."  
  
* * *  
  
At the Meditation Room, they found the nun and Matilda. "Welcome Sorceress Supreme and Genius Swordsman. I hope by now you've realized that you just walked right into my trap. Now your quest will end in your deaths."  
  
Two other nuns came by to rescue Matilda. The false nun let her go, planning to get her back after killing Lina and Gourry. She suddenly glowed and transformed herself into a giant genie monster called Spriggan.  
  
Lina looked the creature strait in the eye. It was a medium strength monster, no doubt. Without a word, she cast Digger Volt on it. But it wasn't down for the count just yet. If anything, it hadn't even acquired a scratch from the attack.  
  
"This thing's tougher than it looks. Gourry, when I say go, we run and attack it together. Ready. . .Go!" yelled Lina. Then she and Gourry charged at Spriggan. In unison, they slashed Dragon's Breath and Dragon's Claw, killing it instantly.  
  
* * *  
  
Back at the temple, Sten was again warning Matilda of her foolish friendship with Evans. The old priestess began to speak on Evans's behalf, but just then Katt cut her off. The tigerwoman echoed her friend's sentiments and told Sten to leave it be. She also told Matilda to get some rest since she'd just had a long day.  
  
"Lina," Matilda whispered, "I would like to speak to you and your companion about something in private. Can you come back later?"  
  
"Whatever. We'll just bide our time at the outdoor café until then," Lina replied. Then she and Gourry left the temple and went to get something to eat.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we're getting into the next big adventure. In this epic quest, Lina and Gourry only have each other, you rarely get help from Katt and Sten. 


	50. Lake Demon

Lake Demon  
  
When Lina and Gourry returned to the temple, they went to visit Matilda. The nun guarding the door let her and Gourry in the room. As usual, Matilda was laying in her bed. But she was as wide-awake as if she was running on the schoolyard.  
  
"Lina, I can see you're not of this world. I can see that you wish to go home, but must stay here until the Goddess no longer needs your help," she said. Then she gave Lina and Gourry each a strange pendant. They were circular, and of a strange metal. Although the color was Platinum, it wasn't as dull as Ishe Platinum. Instantly, their Ishe Platinum armor and accessories appeared. Then, they glowed and the metal grew brighter until it was the shade of the pendant. Finally, they vanished again. Lina and Gourry removed the pendants and handed them to Matilda.  
  
"Now your armor is Altena Alloy, the strongest metal in the world," Matilda stated, "Just like your weapons. Now can you two do me a favor?"  
  
Lina replied, "Sure, you did give us these cool armors. They'll help us in our quest to free the world and return home."  
  
Matilda smiled. "Well, Katt left here shortly after you went to the café. She was saying that she must talk to Evans. Could you go find her?"  
  
Lina agreed, and they were off. First Lina went to the café to get some provisions, in case they took a long time. They ended up buying five of every non-perishable item on the menu. Although the owner was more than willing to part with the food, he wondered why they needed so much. When he inquired how long they'd be gone, Lina told him, "Probably an hour or two. Five at the most, and that's if we decide to goof around and only if we have enough food." Then the man fainted from shock. "Wonder what his problem is?"  
  
* * *  
  
They next went to the Jungle, since they'd seen fairies in Evans's service there before. Once there, they asked Rosiotti about Katt. "She came a little while ago and asked about Evans. I told her to go to Lake Kilma where more fairies gather," he answered.  
  
The duo then went to Lake Kilma. Lina told Gourry to stick by her, as she knew the way around. He took her advice on this, the last thing Gourry needed was getting lost and having Lina mad at him for not listening to her.  
  
"We should ask Tote, he'll know what to do," Lina informed him, 'He's a Wisdom, and they appear to be the equivalent of our world's five sages."  
  
Gourry asked, "Ummmmmmmmmmm. . .Lina, who are the five sages?"  
  
* * *  
  
After beating some sense into Gourry, Lina continued onwards. On the ledge where Tusk had fallen on her last jaunt here, she saw Tote. The turtle looked at her, and inquired, "Do you know what the difference between us and the fairies is?"  
  
"That's easy, our appearances," Lina stated, "I certainly am not that small and I don't have little wings on my back."  
  
Gourry told her, "You may not be that small, but you're pretty darn close. And you can fly with your magic." That comment earned him a Fireball.  
  
"Actually the swordsman was pretty close. Nothing is different about us. People just think they are different because of their looks and world." Tote sighed. "Maybe jumping into a circle of fairies will bring you to their world. A lady was here a little while ago to ask about that."  
  
* * *  
  
After talking with Tote, they ran into Katt. But she was in a hurry, and ran off. When they followed her, they saw Evans. He was a big man with red eyes, grayish tan skin, and orangy brown fur. His hair was long and shaggy, and he had a long goatee that had a similar appearance. On his bare chest, and around the wrists and ankles was more fur. Two yellow horns sprouted from Evans's head. A pair of leather pants were cut off right before the top of his leg fur, and tied on the bottoms and top with leather cords. Tan shoes were on his feet.  
  
After taunting Katt for some time about all that was going on, he walked off. The tigerwoman followed close behind. Lina and Gourry brought up the rear.  
  
Soon they came to a circle of fairies. Katt ran and jumped in. Instantly, she was transported to the Land of Fairies. All that was left for Gourry and Lina was a giant wolf with rainbow fur on his back and electric breath named Borrel Hound.  
  
Lina instantly began to chant. Gourry ran up and distracted the beast. Suddenly, Lina yelled out, "Explosion Array." Instantly, the monster was defeated.  
  
* * *  
  
"So you couldn't find her," Matilda sighed, "It's ok, at least you tried. You know, I used to see fairies a lot when I was younger. But Sten couldn't see them, so he always thought I was insane. He says he can kind of see them now, so I guess they're still around."  
  
Lina and Gourry decided to let the old priestess rest. They returned home and went to experiment with the Golems. But try as they might, neither could make a Logic Block that would actually get them to work well.  
  
Suddenly, Lina had an idea. "How about if we ask that weird professor in the Junkyard. He's supposed to be an expert on Golems. Maybe he'll know what we can do."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I don't exactly know what Evans looks like, since I haven't beaten BoF II. So I based him on the in game picture of the character. Heh, found a way to make up for my snafu with the metals from before. Since Altena Alloy isn't real (at least I don't think so) I can make it any color I want. So all of the armor and weapons are Altena Alloy now. Ok, bye. 


	51. Lost Golem

Lost Golem  
  
Once at the Junkyard, Lina and Gourry went to the lab of Professor Bomb. He was a little man who looked like a Fireball with, arms, legs, and a face. All around the lab was supplies for making Golems.  
  
"Excuse me professor," Lina called, "Would you be able to help us? None of our Golems seem to fight. All they do is stand back, and - - once in awhile - -shoot a long distance attack at an enemy that usually misses."  
  
"That's just a disadvantage of using Golems. If you have good distance attacks and plenty of patience they can be useful. Now, can you do something for me in return for my advice?" Bomb asked.  
  
Lina replied, "Sure, what is it?"  
  
Bomb picked up a piece of armor. "I used the junk I found lying around to create a Golem called Palov. But one day, he just up and ran away. I want you two to go out and search for him, since I don't have the time to do it myself."  
  
"You've got it," Lina said, "Where do we begin?"  
  
"Domina. There's a fortuneteller there who seems to give good advice. She should be able to help you," Bomb stated. * * *  
  
In Domina, they went to Mei Mei's fortune telling booth. Lina asked her to tell their fortune, and concentrated on the lost Golem. She was then charged ten Lucre, which she grouchily handed over.  
  
Mei Mei performed her dance, and picked up a gourd from her basket. She began to read what it said. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. . .it says 'A fateful encounter at the lake'. How romantic that must be.  
  
Gourry whispered, "Does this mean we should have taken our date at the lake instead of gone looking for the perfect spot?"  
  
"No," answered Lina, "It means that's where Palov ran off too. Let's just get this over with so we can get something to eat."  
  
* * *  
  
At the lake, Gourry and Lina saw a bronze-yellow Golem walk up the north path. Curious as to what was going on, they followed. In the next area they saw a bunch of toys scattered around the clearing. And at the center, stood the Golem.  
  
"I left Professor to start my own research," Palov told them, "Now my research is almost complete. I will take over the world with Golem troops."  
  
'Well, at least he's original. I'm getting tired of the bad guys growing evil pumpkin patches in West Domina,' thought Lina.  
  
Suddenly, the toys began to glow. The light leaped from them into Palov, charging him up. All of the toys vanished, and Palov attacked.  
  
Lina yelled, "Gourry, he lives on energy. If we overload his reserves, he'll explode from all the pressure. Keep him distracted and away from me while I chant the spell." With that, she stepped out of harm's way.  
  
Gourry ran at Palov and attacked him with Dragon's Claw. Even the power of the Altena weapon couldn't scratch his hard metallic skin. The swordsman was then knocked out by Palov's Cannon Blast skill.  
  
Luckily, at that moment, Lina finished her chanting. "Digger Volt!" she screamed. The spell hit the Golem head on. Suddenly, his head began spinning clockwise quickly, while his body went counterclockwise with the same rapid speed. All of the energy in the reserve systems began to build up, until he exploded.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina healed Gourry's injuries, and began to gather the pieces of Palov. They then began to head back to Bomb's Lab. The professor was happy to have his Golem back, although he was in hundreds of pieces. Bomb went right to work with the repairs, as well as some reprogramming. He also gave Gourry and Lina some supplies to make Logic Blocks.  
  
The duo went home to play with their supplies. Gourry watched on as Lina created new blocks and equipped them on the Golems. After a few tests, they were up and ready.  
  
When they went to see Trent and pick some fruit, he told them of another orchard far away. Hoping for more food, Lina dragged Gourry outside of the orchard. Then they teleported to the place Trent spoke of.  
  
Another tree much like Trent guarded this one. Growing on the branches were a trio of Lilipods, a Cherry Bomb, two Squalphins, a Nettuce, and a Cabadillo. Lina picked all of them and planted some more seeds. Then she and Gourry enjoyed lunch under the shade.  
  
"Hey Gourry," said Lina, "Why don't we go to the mines? Maybe Watts has some new items in stock we can use for our quest. And who knows, he might even have work for us to do to earn some more Lucre."  
  
Not wanting to argue with Lina, Gourry agreed. So they took out some sweat shirts and sweat pants to wear, just in case they had to go deep into the mines where there was no warmth. Then, they were off.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another interesting chapter. We're gonna hear a good story in the next one, that will define some of the character's actions of today for our big quest. 


	52. Viewing the Past

Viewing the Past  
  
When Gourry and Lina entered the mines, they saw Pokiehl kneeling on the ground. After seeing the two of them, he took out his music box and threw it to the ground. "Let me weave you a tale of the past young warriors. Then you will know where the situation stands." He winded up the box and it began to play a melody that covered the air with a thick mist.  
  
* * *  
  
Using her Lightning spell, Lina managed to clear the mist enough to see through. But a yellow haze now permeated the air. She looked ahead of them towards the entrance to the rest of the mine, and saw a younger Sten standing there.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked. He took a long look at the two before him. "I guess you're not with Evans. Not only does he have demons blood in him, but his thoughts, actions, everything about him is demonic. If not stopped, he'll bring chaos and destruction to this world. Matilda, you're a fool. He tricked you into leaving the temple."  
  
"Wait Sten," Lina called, "We'll help you look for Matilda."  
  
Sten looked at her. "I don't know how you knew my name, but neither do I care. And I don't need your help either. I can kill any demon I come across."  
  
Lina said, "I wouldn't be overconfident if I were you. Demons have powers that us ordinary mortals can't comprehend. You would be killed in an instant if you go alone. Gourry and I are both seasoned hunters, let us help."  
  
But Sten didn't listen to her. Instead, he ran off deeper into the mines in search of Evans. Lina sighed, and dragged Gourry after him.  
  
* * *  
  
Sometime later, they ran into a younger Evans - - who didn't yet have a beard and was much less hairy - - and a teenage Matilda. They were running through a room filled with gas that spewed out of the floor. Matilda was forced to sit down.  
  
"I'm tired Evans. Can't we rest here for a bit?" she inquired.  
  
Evans replied, "I understand, it must be hard for those without non- demons like you, Katt, and Sten. Let's find a nice, clear part of the cave to sit down in so you don't get sick from this." With that, they disappeared.  
  
'Interesting,' Lina mused, 'Evans must be a really good actor. From what I've seen, he doesn't care much about human life. Then again, Katt was shocked to see him acting like this. Maybe he wasn't always so evil. I guess that's what we're here to find out.'  
  
* * *  
  
After another round of walking, they again came across Matilda and Sten. The duo had found a nice, cool spot to rest in. Matilda sat up against a big rock to support her back. As a temple girl, she wasn't used to sitting up without a chair.  
  
"Feeling better?" asked Evans. Something in his voice rang of genuine worry for his friend not usually found in a demon.  
  
Matilda nodded her head. "But it's so dark in here. I'm not used to such conditions, since the temple torches are always on. I hope the entrance holds up."  
  
As if on cue, an earthquake shook the mines. Evans knew at once that the entrance had collapsed. Matilda began to cry.  
  
"It was so fun at first," she whined, "It's my first time leaving the temple on my own free will. Now we're both going to die."  
  
Evans told her, "You're protected by the same spirits that protected your ancestors. Even if I die, you will survive."  
  
"I won't become the High Priestess in Gato. 'Cause priestesses aren't allowed to be friends with demons," she protested.  
  
Evans turned his back. Tears were in the boy's eyes. "I'm not your friend, I just want to eat you up like all demons." There was a sense of falsehood in his voice, as if he was only repeating something Sten had told him. "If you hate this world so much, I'll destroy it for you. Tell you what, call upon your spirit, it'll tell us how to escape."  
  
Matilda summoned her Guardian Spirit. Just then, Evans grabbed it from her and she collapsed. Sten ran in and tried to fight with him to save Matilda, but then there was another cave in, knocking everyone out cold.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina woke up to see Sten before her. "So now you know the truth. Who are you with, me protecting the world or Katt who'll help the demons destroy the world?"  
  
"Katt doesn't want him to do that," Lina protested, "She just wants to avoid killing if she can. All I saw was that you seemed to influence his demoness by insisting he'll do something bad before he did. Not that I'm condoning him for stealing the powers, but I don't think that he's completely evil."  
  
"That's to bad," the soldier said. He ran at Lina, preparing to kill her, but was blasted back by Lina's Fireball spell.  
  
Lina informed him, "That was just a warning. Listen, sometimes what you think is justice isn't that just at all. I have a friend who confuses what is and is not right often. Think a little bit about that, and you may just find another way."  
  
Sten was quite amazed at how the woman spoke. He watched as Lina and Gourry left the mines ahead of him. But he still wasn't going to quit his path. Justice could only be reached if he killed every demon in the known universe.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I did get the impression that the demon character wasn't quite evil, but influenced by what his own friend often said to him. I also thought he seemed to be doing everything for love. Yes I do look beyond the spoken word in a game. 


	53. The Hammer

The Hammer  
  
On the way out of the mines, Lina and Gourry stopped by Watts's shop. The dwarf man was sitting at a table looking mad. He wasn't even working on a new project, and the blacksmith never rested - - as some of their friends had informed them.  
  
"Hey Watts, what's going on?" asked Lina, "Do you have any good items for sale at the moment? I'm in the market for something I can bespell with my magic."  
  
"I lost my hammer when I was working in the mines the other day. If I don't have it, I can't do any work and have nothing for sale," he answered.  
  
Lina knew an opportunity when she saw one. "How about we go look for the hammer for you Watts? In return, you could make something for me to use."  
  
Watts told her, "Missy, you've got yerself a deal."  
  
"Ok, where did you lose it?" she inquired, "If you tell me the area in the mines you were when last you saw it then we may be able to figure out where it is."  
  
"I was down fixing some things for the Diggers. They're genius miners, but awful blacksmiths. We often help each other out," replied Watts.  
  
Lina said, "Thank you Watts. We'll look there first. If it's not in the lair of the Diggers, it may be somewhere nearby. We'll see you later." With that, she began to push Gourry out of the door. They headed to the Dudbear express. Then, they called the Dudbears, who carried the warriors down to their hideaway deep in the mines.  
  
* * *  
  
Once there, Lina began to search around the lair. On the table, she saw a poetry book. Curious, Lina went over and began to read it.  
  
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Lina turned around quickly to see Roger run into the room. He took the book from her and blushed. Apparently, he didn't want any person to see the soft side of the Digger's leader.  
  
"Hey Lina," called Gourry, "What do you suppose this thing is?" He was standing by the fireplace and holding a hammer in his hands.  
  
"Gourry, you found the hammer! Great work, now we can get back and get our award," stated Lina. She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Roger said, "Great Paladins, you must return Master Watts's hammer to him. He is the only one who can keep us supplied for our sacred mission. Again, you have come to save us from a disaster. Thank you, and good tidings from me and all the Dudbears."  
  
Lina sweatdropped. "Well, thank you for your good words. We must be going now. Maybe we'll see you again someday." Then they returned to Watts's shop.  
  
* * *  
  
Back at the shop, Lina handed Watts his hammer. The blacksmith noticed what was in her hands and began to steam. His eyes filled with fury.  
  
"You fiend, stealing me hammer like that," he yelled, "Kids these days'll steal anything if they see it." He took the hammer from her hands.  
  
"Fireball!" screamed Lina. "You asked Gourry and me to bring it back for you. You left it in the Diggers' lair after fixing some things for them."  
  
Watts stated, "Sorry 'bout that. I forget easily. Thank you for finding it for me. I'll never forget you for this good deed."  
  
"Scuse me Watts," Lina reminded, "Remember the item you promised to give me? I would like to have it now, unless you have to make it first."  
  
Watts walked over to his shelf. There, he picked up a pendant from the shelf. Imbedded in the center of the gold pendant was a large, round ruby. The gem shone with an inner light that was amplified by the shop's lighting.  
  
"I got this pendant off a Jumi Knight I met once a long time ago. He told me that it was filled with great power that is able to dispel most any curse. I'm sure you can find some use for it. Curses are common in the world these days," he remarked.  
  
Lina thought, 'If anything I can give it to Zel. I'm sure he'll appreciate something to return him to human form. Then maybe he'll stop being so gloomy.'  
  
* * *  
  
After visiting with Watts, Lina and Gourry went to the bar in Domina. They saw Rooks and Teefa chatting about something or other in the corner. On the top floor, Lina could see Leon and Rutee having a meeting of their own. Nina was sitting at a table and drinking some tea, while Gobi was at the bar selling spices to the manager.  
  
When each person saw Gourry and Lina, they went over to them. The eight people then got acquainted with one another. Soon they were all old friends.  
  
"Did you hear about the problem at the temple?" asked Rooks, "They say that some weird power has been hovering over there recently. Salah and Diana tried to analyze the energy, but they couldn't seem to calculate it."  
  
"Atwight is having a similar problem. Not since Kronos was there something that gave off energy like that," Rutee echoed.  
  
Lina knew at once what it was. It had to be something to do with either Evans or Matilda. She decided that they must go to the temple right away. It was the only way to find what was going on, and Lina didn't like being in the dark.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I managed to write a great intro to the next chapter. Want to bring in some good suspicion. 


	54. Lover's Reunion

Lovers Reunion  
  
Lina and Gourry arrived in Gato soon afterwards. Once there, they got something to eat in order to max out their energy for the fight. After that, they went to the temple to visit with Matilda and see what was going on.  
  
When they got to her room, they saw that Katt had returned from her jaunt into the Land of Fairies. "We must go," she told Matilda, "We'll head to the Mindas Ruins, and then to the Land of Fairies. Once there, you can prolong your life."  
  
"Did you see Evans?" she asked.  
  
Katt nodded her head. "You must see him. He'll bring chaos and destruction to the world without you. Evans loves you, it is he who can save you, not Sten."  
  
As if on cue, Sten ran into the room. He looked strait at Katt and yelled, "Has the demon taken you Katt? Demons are unable to love. The only thing Evans wants to do is take even more power from Matilda. How fast will she age after that happens?"  
  
'Guess he didn't listen to me,' Lina thought, 'He's just dense.'  
  
"That's absurd. There's no difference between any of us. Evans doesn't destroy things because he's a demon. It's because he was always told that he was no good by a certain monkey soldier with a big mouth," Katt retorted.  
  
Sten got mad and punched her in the stomach. Katt was knocked backwards against the wall. His long nails made a cut on her belly. "The wound is shallow, think it over. If you will reconsider your thoughts, you can help me kill him."  
  
While everyone was watching the argument, they didn't notice Matilda chanting a spell. Lina looked over for a moment, and wondered what the Abbess was doing. Suddenly, she, Katt, Moon GS, and Matilda disappeared. Sten ran off to find them, while Gourry looked lost.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina found herself in the Monolithic Structure in the Mindas Ruins. She and Moon GS looked around, and noticed that Gourry and the others were no where to be found. The young sorceress began to make her way out of the pit and towards the entrance.  
  
Along the way, she ran into Gobi. He offered to help her get to the Tower of Winds for the "low" price of 300 Lucre. Lina shrugged it off. She could figure it out on her own. Besides, it was just a waste of money since she knew the way the best.  
  
Finally, she arrived at the Tower of Winds. It was one of the structures that had survived her Dragon Slave on the Ruins. Ten stories tall, it was said to be a sacred building to the people that had made the ruins.  
  
Lina climbed the tower. Halfway up, she came across Katt and Sten fighting each other. Neither seemed to be gaining any ground, and both were exhausted.  
  
"The demon has taken your soul Katt," Sten commented, "You have become just like him. All you want is to destroy the world."  
  
"Nonsense, there's no difference between demons and humans. If we all try hard enough, we can live together in peace," she told him.  
  
Just then, Sten saw Lina and Moon GS standing on the stairs and watching the duo. "You, whose side are you on?"  
  
Lina yelled, "Neither side. There's no reason to fight. You have to work together to solve the problem. Just because your ideas differ, doesn't mean you have to murder each other." Lina surprised herself with her sentiment speech.  
  
"If you're not on my side, you're an enemy," said Sten, "And I will destroy any enemy that I come across, be it human or demon."  
  
Lina Fireballed the monkey man. He fell to the floor in the same fashion as many of the people who opposed her in the past. She hoped it would be it, but it wasn't. Sten got up and charged Lina again, hoping to destroy her.  
  
Katt ran at Sten and bopped him over the head with her flail. Down to the ground he fell, barely breathing. Then, it stopped.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to do that. But you gave me no choice when you attacked. Rest in peace old friend," Katt whispered.  
  
* * *  
  
At the top, the two women ran into Matilda. The old woman was smiling and looking at the sky. She had apparently seen Evans.  
  
Katt begged, "Matilda, you must go to the Land of Fairies with Evans. We're running out of time. You'll die soon if you don't. And Evans will destroy the world unless you are able to stop him from doing so. You're the only one who can do this."  
  
Matilda shook her head. "Seeing him was enough. And I will not stop him if he wants to do something. Evans and I don't impose on each other's freedom."  
  
"But what about the other people living here?" questioned Katt, "They'll lose their lives as well as their freedom if he destroys the world."  
  
Matilda told her friend, "If you wish to stop him, then I will not impose upon that freedom. I chose not to do anything, by my own freedom."  
  
Lina then decided to head home. She knew Gourry was going to be worried about her after that disappearing act she'd pulled. So she teleported back to the house, where she promptly ate a big dinner with her beloved.  
  
- - - -  
  
Ummm. . . one of the darker chapters. 


	55. Amnesia & Medicine

Amnesia & Medicine  
  
Lina and Gourry woke up to a bright and sunny day. They again had a big breakfast, practically depleting all of their stores. The young sorceress looked at the food that was left in the pantry, and cried, "Oh no, we don't have enough left for even one of us to eat dinner, let alone the both of us. And the twins haven't eaten breakfast yet."  
  
"Calm down Lina," Gourry said, "Why don't you just grow some more food in the orchards. Then we can have something."  
  
"Gourry, it takes a few days for the food to grow. What's there now isn't ripe yet. So picking it won't do us any good. And even if it was, there wouldn't be enough in both to feed us all, and what I planted today wouldn't be ready for awhile," she replied.  
  
Gourry held Lina in his arms. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll think of something. I mean, you will because I never think. Does magic power have to do with brain size?"  
  
Just then, the light bulb in Lina's head went on. She exclaimed, "That's it. Gourry, you're a genius." She then thought of the irony in her little statement.  
  
"I am," replied Gourry, "I thought I was an idiot."  
  
"I'll go to Geo and buy some food for us. We have plenty of Lucre, and can get us enough to last a year. Maybe I'll do some fishing at Polpota when I'm done," she told him.  
  
So Lina gathered some supplies to make a fishing pole, her money purse, and Dragon's Breath. With one kiss for Gourry, she was off. She went outside, and teleported to Geo.  
  
* * *  
  
There, Lina heard about how Kristie had fallen ill. Rumor had it that she'd brought some medicine from Gobi, but he was charging her the exorbitantly high price of 10 billion Lucre for the cure. Now she was scrounging for the money.  
  
Lina paid no heed to the whole thing. It's not like she had any way to cure the woman. Her curse amulet was going to be a birthday present for Zel. And they'd all said sickness, not curse so it probably wouldn't do anything.  
  
When her shopping was done, Lina headed to Polpota to fish. There, she found Gobi standing on the beach. Problem was, he couldn't seem to remember who he was or what he was doing. All he knew was that he woke up on the beach holding a yamborilin leaf.  
  
Lina informed Gobi, "I know what you were doing before this, come with me. I'll take you to where you were headed."  
  
* * *  
  
Back in Geo, they headed for Kristie's mansion. Surprisingly, the new Gobi didn't want payment for his services. His only reward was that he'd saved her life.  
  
The merchant and the sorceress left the mansion to go and gather more leaves. "She must take these yamborilin leaves three times to be cured. Only thing is, I can't remember where I found the first one. Do you know?"  
  
Now Lina didn't know for sure where they grew, but she remembered seeing some by the Cancun Bird's nest in Gato when they hunted Zeril. So the duo returned there to gather leaves. For some strange reason, Gobi only took one dose with him when they left though.  
  
They returned to Kristie's and gave her the leaf. "Thank you, but don't these grow in a dangerous area?" she asked, "Tell me where and I'll send one of my employees."  
  
"I would, but I've forgotten where again," Gobi confessed.  
  
Lina sighed. 'I knew he was faking it. Dang, what reason does he have to act like he doesn't remember? Worried Kristie will break their deal?'  
  
Again they returned to Gato. Gobi walked up to the nest to gather another leaf for Kristie. Suddenly, he lost his balance and fell off the cliff. As he plummeted to the water below, he yelled, "Somebody's calling me."  
  
* * *  
  
Calculating everything that had happened, Lina returned to Polpota's beach. There, as predicted, she found Gobi clutching a yamborilin leaf and mumbling like a madman. "You really need to chill out," she stated, "And you wonder why people avoid you."  
  
"Now that you've found me, let's get going. Kristie isn't going to wait for either of us. And I might need you're help with this," he said.  
  
So they returned to Geo together. Gobi handed the last leaf over to the art collector. He then inquired, "Where's my 10 billion Lucre?"  
  
Kristie's temper flared. "Trick us will you. I knew your amnesia gag was a fake."  
  
"Now, now, we had an agreement," Gobi reminded them, "If you don't pay me the money, you give me the palace. I'd advise you to cooperate. This girl over here is Lina, a true champion of justice, slayer of hundreds of villains. Pay up if you want to live to see old age."  
  
'Great, he's starting to sound like Amelia,' thought Lina.  
  
Finally, Kristie and Sotherbee gave in. But just then, Gobi surprised them. "I'm a busy man these days. I'll need someone to look after the headquarters while I'm gone on a business trip. Since you two have experience in the matter, I want you to work for me."  
  
Surprised, Kristie and Sotherbee accepted the offer. But Lina had no time to stay and see what happened next. She went back to Polpota to get her fishing done. Then, she returned home to tell Gourry and the twins of her adventures.  
  
- - - -  
  
I really don't know how to spell the leaf's name, so I just took a wild guess. Final fight with Evans next chapter. Then I've got something special planned. 


	56. Beast & Serpent

Beast & Serpent  
  
The next morning, Jared woke Lina up bright and early. In fact, the dawn hadn't even broken yet. He had heard rumors about Selva of the Four Winds visiting Gato lately. So he wanted her to take him to see the Wisdom. All of his yelling even managed to wake Gourry up from his heavy sleep.  
  
"Ok Jared, just calm down," Lina said, "We'll go as soon as I've eaten breakfast. Can't cast spells on an empty stomach." She then began to mumble about how early it was.  
  
So Lina and Gourry had breakfast together. Then the young sorceress got her supplies ready for the trip. She gave Gourry a kiss, and then headed to Gato with Jared.  
  
Gourry watched her go. 'Lina, be careful. I don't feel right not being there to protect you from, ummmm.whatever that demon is that you mentioned yesterday. If you died, I don't think I could bear it. I want to be with you forever,' he thought  
  
Just then, Jerin entered the room. "Worried about Lina eh? I feel the same way about my brother when he goes off like that. When I grow up, I hope I have a boyfriend who'll stand by my side like you stand by Lina's."  
  
Gourry took a ring out of his pocket. It was the gift Katt had given him after helping her to meet Gaeus. He couldn't remember the details of the quest, but he could remember her saying, "Take this ring Gourry. Give it to someone special." To this day, he wondered what she had meant by that statement. It didn't make any sense.  
  
"Jerin," he spoke up, "What does it mean when you give a ring to someone special? Does it have something to do with Lina?"  
  
"Gourry! You don't know that? It's a sign of undying love when a man gives a girl a ring and asks her to marry him," Jerin replied. When Gourry gave her a blank look, she knew she would have to explain marriage too. So she began to tell Gourry all about it.  
  
Instantly, they saw a large snake appear in the sky. Gourry then knew that Lina was going to be in deep trouble. His worry began to increase tenfold. But as that happened, his confidence in Lina's skill increased too. He now knew what he had to do.  
  
* * *  
  
When the giant snake appeared in the sky, Lina had just arrived in Gato with Jared. The young apprentice clung to her arm in fear. But Lina just scoffed at the sight. 'Oh please, is that all he's got? It looks like it's just a shell of some sort, and the whole thing must be to instill fear in people's hearts. Must be some ancient demon in this world that all people fear. But if Evans thinks he's gonna scare me, well then he doesn't know Lina Inverse very well.'  
  
Katt came running down from the temple and bumped into the two of them. She begged, "Lina thank goodness you're here. You must come with me. Matilda needs to speak with you about the reappearance of Lucemia in the sky."  
  
"Whose Lucemia?" Lina asked, "I've never heard of it."  
  
"Lucemia is the Wyrm of Light. In ancient times, it swallowed seven cities on a destructive rampage. It died when it made the mistake of swallowing a volcano. Evans must have summoned the shell to use as a base," she replied.  
  
Lina looked again at the creature in the sky. It certainly had an ominous look about it. "Sure I'll see Matilda about this. Lead the way Katt."  
  
* * *  
  
Once in the Dreamweaving Room, Lina approached Matilda's bedside. Matilda was happy to see her. She told Lina, "Evans plans to harness as much power as he can in order to revive the great Wyrm of Light. With Lucemia on his side, he will go on a violent killing spree and destroy the whole world. That's what he told me when we met in the ruins."  
  
"Then why didn't you stop him?" demanded Katt, "He'll kill everyone in this whole world, and you didn't put an end to it!"  
  
"Katt, listen closely for these will be my last words. The Imperial Soldiers destroy things by their Emperor's orders. Pirates steal things because they desire them. Now I ask you this, 'Which one is more sinful'," inquired Matilda.  
  
Katt mumbled, "Both of them are stupid."  
  
Matilda shook her head. "Neither one of them is sinful. It was the Goddess who gave us all the freedom to choose what we want to do with our lives. I love Evans, so I just can't take away from his freedom. It just wouldn't feel right to me."  
  
"Then why don't you go to him?" Katt asked, "You can both live and be happy in the Land of Fairies. It's not fair for you to be apart from the one you love. Especially when he's destroying the whole world over this whole situation."  
  
"We were always together, only our bodies were far apart. And I am most happy if he is able to do what he wants to do. Once I am sure that you, Evans, and Lina remain free, then the curtain will fall on my role in this world," she answered.  
  
Katt was shocked by this grim prediction. "You can't die Matilda, you're only 26 years old. I still want to be your little sister."  
  
Matilda whispered, "Then you do that Katt. Be free to do whatever you want to do with your life. Take care of yourself when I'm gone from this world." Then, she drifted off to sleep, breathing soft and peaceful breaths.  
  
"I want to fight Evans," Katt confessed, "But I just can't let Matilda die like this. I'll stay here and try to help her through this. Would you be willing to go after Evans's for me? You can get to Lucemia by flying on the Cancun Bird."  
  
Lina agreed to help Katt out. They went to the Cancun Bird's nest, and got on its back. Instantly, the bird took off, heading right for Lucemia. Determination shone in Lina's eyes. This wouldn't beat her, and then she'd return home to Gourry.  
  
- - - -  
  
Final battle next chapter. Nuff said. 


	57. Shell of the Demon

Shell of the Demon  
  
"We're approaching Lucemia," exclaimed Lina, "Jared, you better be careful up there. From what I've seen, Evans is quite powerful. If you want to go back, I'll turn this bird around and head for home so you can stay there and I can get Gourry."  
  
"I'm ok Lina, demons don't scare me," Jared stated. He looked out ahead of them with a determined look in his eye.  
  
Soon they arrived at the Wyrm of Light's shell. The Cancun Bird landed on the one end of the shell. As luck would have it, Evans wasn't in the area. When Lina turned around to ask for a landing spot that was nearer to Evans, the bird flew off again.  
  
She groaned, "I guess it's too scared to get any closer. Meaning, Evans is probably at the other end of this thing. Oh, well, we better get walking."  
  
Lina began to walk in the only direction available. Jared then followed close behind. Soon after, they arrived at a hole in the shell. To avoid falling in, Lina went down what appeared to be a staircase. Another one was conveniently located right after the hole in the roof.  
  
Lina wondered why that was so. 'Doesn't make sense. But then again, it helps me save my magic since I don't have to use Levitation to bring us over the holes. Guess I really shouldn't be complaining about that.'  
  
A little bit later, they found a cave in the side of the shell. Curious as to what it was - - and out of places to go - - they entered it. Inside they found bones that were still attached to the shell. For awhile, Lina and Jared walked through it, fighting monsters. Finally, they found the exit, and returned to the outer part of the shell.  
  
A strange fairy/butterfly hybrid suddenly appeared before the two adventurers. Jared ran up to him, recognizing him as Selva of the Four Winds. "I'm Jared," he stated, "I've come to listen to the Wisdoms to become a great wizard."  
  
"Hello Jared. Children are always a little outside the flow of time. Your childhood memories will be useful for the rest of your magic career," stated the Wisdom.  
  
Jared replied, "Thanks Selva."  
  
Selva looked at Lina. "You know that Evans is just toying with you by waiting on Lucemia's head. Can you take it, Lina Inverse?"  
  
"Of course I can take it," Lina yelled, "No one can ever psyche me out. If I just gave up at the sight of a little hardship, I wouldn't accomplish anything. That and the fact that my world would have been destroyed by at least one of the demons I managed to kill."  
  
"As you wish," Selva replied. Then, he disappeared.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Jared moved onwards. Soon after, they stumbled upon another cave. And again after leaving it, Selva appeared and asked if she could take Evans's game. The young sorceress wondered if he had nothing better to do than annoy her.  
  
After some more walking, they came to the head of the monster. As predicted, Evans was standing there and waiting. Instantly Lina threw a Fireball at him. The spell washed harmlessly over the demon, and he began to laugh.  
  
Evans yelled, "Fool, you cannot kill me with that little power. I am the all-powerful demon Evans, the exterminator of the human race. Your time is up now, humans." Suddenly, he began to grow into a giant version of himself with much more fur, and standing on all fours.  
  
Jared looked at Lina. "Master, what is your lesson this time? What reason did you have for throwing the Fireball."  
  
"Easy," Lina told her apprentice, "Fireball someone if he is evil. But most evil forces are unable to be destroyed by a Fireball alone - - especially demons - - so you'll probably have to throw something bigger right after that."  
  
"Like this?" Jared asked. He began to concentrate, and then cast Explosion Array. When Lina stared at him, he stated, "What? I learned it from you when we went to the Jungle that time. Master, can I borrow your Talisman so I can use that Blast Bomb spell?"  
  
Lina told Jared, "I wouldn't be able to guarantee your safety if you tried it. I don't know how powerful your magic is, and the Talisman might not have enough power for your level of magic. You might have to tap your own life force, and die. I'll take care of this." With that, Lina cast the Dragon Slave on Evans, killing him instantly.  
  
Suddenly, Lucemia began to shake. The Cancun Bird came and rescued them just in time. Before returning to Gato, they watched as Lucemia sunk into the sea below.  
  
* * *  
  
Once in Gato, they went to see Katt. Lina found her alone in the Dreamweaving room, crying. She informed Lina that Matilda had passed on about the same time as Lucemia had sunk into the sea, and her body vanished in a brilliant light.  
  
Lina sent Jared back home to tell what was going on. For some reason she had decided to go to the café first. There, she found Gourry at a table stacked with food. The swordsman motioned for her to come and join him.  
  
"I talked to Katt," he said, "She told me you were going to go kill a demon on a worm. How could you fit on a worm?"  
  
"W-Y-R-M not W-O-R-M Gourry. It's a type of demon snake. That was the thing that appeared in the sky early this morning," Lina commented.  
  
Gourry looked into her eyes. He told her, "Lina. . .could you give me your hand. I have something I want to give you." He took out a case that contained a ring that he purchased in Geo right before coming here. "Lina, will you marry me?"  
  
Lina's eyes grew wide with the shock. "Of course Gourry, I'll never leave your side again." Then, they leaned forward and shared a passionate kiss.  
  
- - - -  
  
Little fluff in the end. Well, few more little chapters to work with, and then we're done. 


	58. Wisdoms, Parties, and Weddings

Wisdoms Parties & Weddings  
  
When Lina and Gourry came home, they immediately told the twins the good news. Both of them began to cheer at how their master had finally admitted her feelings for her beloved. Lina just turned redder than a Whalemato.  
  
They did let Lina and Gourry get to sleep that night. But in the morning, Jared begged Lina to go and see the remaining Wisdoms. He knew that Olbohn worked in the Underworld managing departed souls, and Gaeus was on the Highway. So Lina decided that they'd go to the Underworld first, and stop by the Highway on the way back home.  
  
So they teleported to the Underworld and went inside. Leon wasn't at his usual post, and Lina figured he must have broken the curse - - since he made that trip to Domina a few days ago - - and was visiting Rutee in the forest. Once there, the sorceress and her apprentice went to the command chamber to see Olbohn.  
  
"I'm Jared," the boy said, "I've come to listen to the Wisdoms to be a great wizard."  
  
"Hello Jared. Sometimes, mages get so powerful that they forget their own humanity, and go on killing sprees. Never forget who you are, or what you were born as, or you may one day be destroyed for the evils you may commit," he stated.  
  
Jared replied, "Thanks Olbohn."  
  
Suddenly, a Shadole came into the room. "Hey you weirdoes, what're you doing here? If you're staying, you might as well hear my joke. What's short and flat with a temper to put a monster to shame? Lina Inverse of course. Oh, I'm so funny." The Shadole began to laugh. His glee turned to annoyance when Lina Fireballed him in anger.  
  
"Master?" asked Jared, "What is the reason for that Fireball?"  
  
"Simple, you Fireball someone who has the nerve to taunt you. It isn't smart to mess with Lina Inverse if you value your life," she told him.  
  
* * *  
  
On the Highway, they used the Boink to come closer to Gaeus's home. Once there, they stepped in the rock's big hands. He then pulled them closer to his face an inquired, "How may I help you today? What wisdom can I impart?"  
  
Jared stepped forward to the end of the hand. "I'm Jared, I've come to listen to the Wisdoms to become a great wizard."  
  
"Hello Jared," said Gaeus, "There was once a great mage named Halciot a long time ago. Not much is written about him, but he was much bigger than me in many ways."  
  
"Thanks Gaeus," Jared replied.  
  
Lina and Jared headed home. Suddenly, Jared asked, "Master, you haven't Fireballed anyone on this quest. What lesson do you want to teach me from this?"  
  
Lina looked at her young apprentice. "That's a simple one. There are just some times where you can't find a reason to Fireball. As much as I hate to admit it."  
  
* * *  
  
When they got home, Gourry and Jerin were waiting for them. "We've found all the Wisdoms, and Jared now knows what he wants to," Lina stated, "I say this calls for a celebration. Let's make this the biggest dinner we've ever had."  
  
So Lina took out all of the food she could carry. The food she'd gotten was even more that she and Gourry ate in a week. And that's saying something! After getting all the food, she used her magic to cook the food on a bonfire.  
  
When it was all done, Lina, Gourry, and the twins began to eat. Bellgrape Juice was poured into everyone's cups. A toast was made, first to Lina and Gourry's engagement, and then to Jared's magical success. They spent the whole night partying and having a good time.  
  
After a few hours, Lina and Gourry sent the twins to bed. But they stayed up for a little while longer watching the stars. Lina held onto Gourry's hand and gave him a smile. The swordsman put his arm around her shoulder, and gave her a kiss.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Lina and Gourry decided to go to Geo to look at the local style of wedding gowns. Once there, they went to the shop and began to window shop. Lina tried on several styles, each one looking just right for a sorceress, but not for Lina. Especially since they were mostly low cut gowns, and at least one person would comment on the chest.  
  
"I don't know what to do Gourry. I want this wedding to be perfect. But how can it be if I can't even find a good dress," she whined.  
  
As they were leaving, they noticed that Gilbert's statue was missing. Wondering what went on, they went to ask Gobi. The fishman told the duo that he'd sold it to Kristie a few weeks before she had given him her business in return for the medicine.  
  
So they went right away to the Arts Palace. In the storeroom, they found the missing statue. Lina walked over to get a better look.  
  
He began to lament on his situation. "Mina, I came to a town you knew not, fell in love with a woman you knew not, and sang a song you knew not. A rabbit merchant came and sold me to a woman with wealth, and now I'm sitting in this cold and dirty storeroom. I cannot cry, for I have become stone. Oh how I wish to hear your voice again."  
  
Lina went to ask Sotherbee what they planned to do with the statue. He told them, "We don't quite know what to do with it. Maybe I shouwd try another sawes pitch. Wike, hewps prevent cowapsing roofs." He began to laugh at his own joke.  
  
Lina went home to find out if she had any spells that would cure petrification. Although Gilbert was annoying, she thought that maybe Mina would appreciate having him back, since they were still friends. Maybe even enough to give Lina a reward.  
  
Her eyes fell on the curse charm. Stone was technically a curse, so maybe it'd help. Besides, she could always ask the Jumi for another if it was a one-time use item. But when they returned to Geo, he was gone.  
  
- - - -  
  
What happened to Gilbert? Tune in next time to see. 


	59. Restoration

Restoration  
  
"Where could that statue have gone?" wondered Lina, "He certainly couldn't get up and walk away. Kristie and Sotherbee must know what's going on."  
  
So they went back upstairs to talk to the duo. The dog man told Lina that they had finally sold the statue to a group of Dudbears. Apparently, a mineshaft had collapsed recently, and they needed it to hold up the roof. Lina couldn't quite see the reasoning behind it.  
  
She then decided to go to the mines to save Gilbert. There was quite an apparent change in Lina since the time she'd been killed by Kronos. Maybe it had to do with her longing for Gourry during those days made her susceptible to people in love. Or it could have been the fact that she was beginning to understand Amelia's views after seeing all the villains in this world.  
  
When they arrived at Gilbert's chamber in the mine, Lina took out her charm. Putting it on Gilbert's neck, she waited for something to happen. After about five minutes passed, she began to get impatient. Taking the charm off, she wondered what went wrong.  
  
"Great, a piece of junk. Maybe I should Fireball Watts for giving me this piece of junk. I guess this wouldn't have helped Zel out anyway," Lina mumbled.  
  
* * *  
  
After trying many different things, Lina decided to go visit Mina in her shop. Hopefully, telling her what was going with Gilbert on would get her some sort of lead to finding a cure. So they left the mines, and teleported to Lumina.  
  
In the shop, Mina was finishing up a lamp. Lina called, "Hey Mina! How's it going with you? I've been having quite a taxing week."  
  
Mina looked up at her friend. "Nothing much. I've been wondering what has been going on with Gilbert lately. I haven't seen him since the day he asked Nina on that date. What girl is he trying to chase after this time?"  
  
"Actually, he's in trouble," Lina replied, "Some time ago, he made the mistake of trying to impress a basilisk who wasn't interested. He was turned to stone, sold to a rich woman in Geo, and then sold to the Diggers to use for holding up a ceiling."  
  
"That's terrible. But it doesn't concern me. There's nothing I can do," Mina admitted. Then she decided to go and visit Nina at the beach.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Gourry followed her, and found the two cousins talking about some of the songs they liked. For awhile, they debated on what songs were the best for different situation. Suddenly, the conversation changed drastically. Nina asked about Gilbert.  
  
Mina told her exactly what had happened. Nina then decided to go and ask the magicians in Geo for a cure. After all, he was most likely suffering.  
  
Suddenly Dies appeared. She asked the duo, "What's the point of curing him from his petrification? All he does while he's going around the world is try to woo the girls. I swear, you Sirens'll go for anything that sings."  
  
Nina shot her a harsh glare. "You know that's not fair to her. Mina just wants to do a nice thing for a friend. Is that so wrong?"  
  
"No, I guess not," Dies admitted, "Then I want you to take this Mermaid Pendant. On it is written a special spell that is said to cure any curse or ailment if it is cast by the afflicted person's most beloved. Just place a curse charm on his neck and recite the spell. I'll leave the searching for the charm to you, I don't happen to have one on hand. Goodbye girls." Then, she left.  
  
"Where in the name of the Mana Goddess will I find a curse charm?" inquired Mina. She looked over the ocean and sighed.  
  
Lina walked up to Mina and said, "I happen to have one on hand. But, I want to ask, could it be used more than once?"  
  
Mina nodded her head. "Curse charms only break randomly, and usually only after being used more than once in a week. I take it you need it for something? " "A friend is cursed," Lina told her, "Many a quest I embarked on involved finding his cure in some shape or form."  
  
With that, they headed out for the mines. Once there, Lina began to lead Mina to Gilbert's chamber. Once there, she gave the Siren the charm.  
  
"Let us get started. Gilbert, maybe our love wasn't the best of romances. And maybe you and I weren't meant to be. But, I still cannot see you like this. Awaken, and resume your quest for true love," Mina stated.  
  
She walked over to the statue, and placed Lina's charm over Gilbert's neck. With the help of Lina's Lightning spell, she began to read the spell on the Mermaid Pendant. After she had finished, a blinding flash of light lit up the room, forcing Lina to extinguish her spell immediately. When it was over, Gilbert stood there in the flesh.  
  
Gilbert began to thank Mina for everything she had done for him. While that was going on, Lina and Gourry decided to head for home. It was time for dinner after all, and neither of them wanted to miss it. With one last look at the Siren and the Centaur, they left the mines and teleported.  
  
- - - -  
  
We've got some more crazy adventures next chapter. It is one of the craziest quests in the whole game. 


	60. Missing Daughter

Missing Daughter  
  
The next day, Lina awoke to yelling outside her window. She ran downstairs and threw open the door, hoping to Fireball whoever woke her up. But she couldn't see anyone at the door. When Lina turned to go back inside, a voice called, "Hey, don't ignore me."  
  
The sorceress looked down, where she saw Duelle standing there. "About time you saw me," he complained, "We're having a problem, and need your help."  
  
"What's the problem this time?" inquired Lina, sounding exasperated.  
  
Duelle lowered his head. "You see, Rachel - - the daughter of the shop owner in Domina - - went missing the other day. It appears from her note that she went to Geo. I know you go there to get magic sometimes, and I was wondering if you'd look for her?"  
  
Lina replied, "Sure I'll look for her. I was planning to go there and get some more magic sometime soon, so I might as well."  
  
"Thank you," Duelle said, "I'm in your debt." Then he left for home, as Lina went to wake Gourry up for their trip to the city of magic.  
  
* * *  
  
In Geo, Lina again looked at something she could wear for her wedding. This time, she managed to get lucky. The last of a dress that had a cut just below the neck was found on the rack at the store. Lina tried it on, and it fit her perfectly. So she brought the dress, and headed to the Academy to find some magic items and look for Rachel.  
  
When they arrived in the library, a bright flash lit up the sky. Thesenis told the young sorceress that they had been performing an experiment. She had been waiting to complete it, without Nunuzac interfering in the process.  
  
"Have you seen this girl?" asked Lina. She held up a picture of Rachel.  
  
Thesenis got a closer look at it. "Oh, her. She just went to Domina to return to her parents' house. You just missed her."  
  
Lina told Gourry, "Let's get going then and make sure she arrives home alright."  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the home of the shopowner - - Mark - - Lina found the father and daughter having a good time together in the bedroom. Rachel - - who everyone knew as a quiet, shy, and depressed girl - - was laughing along with her father's jokes. A smile crossed her lips.  
  
'Amazing,' Lina thought, 'Maybe there's hope for Zel yet in the laughing department. I wonder if he's had any luck while we were gone. Maybe the gang should have a reunion when Gourry and I return to our own world.'  
  
Downstairs, Teapo motioned to the duo. "You know, Rachel's been actin' strange since she got back. In the ol' days, she wanted to kill her dad fer some reason. Now, she's havin' a bloomin' good time with 'im. Perhaps she's tryin' to catch 'im off guard an' do the deed."  
  
Lina and Gourry sweatdropped. The little they knew about Teapo was that she had a big imagination, and always told stories. But that didn't mean that Lina wasn't suspicious of Rachel's new behavior. Something was amiss here.  
  
Hoping for answers, they went to find Mark's wife Jennifer. They found her in the market gossiping with Mei Mei about the things going on in the world. Apparently, her husband was getting on her nerves with some strange story about seeing a blue jiggly in a dream that called itself Rachel, and said that the girl in their house was something called a green wiggly. Then she wondered why she'd ever married that man.  
  
"Jennifer, what do you think about your daughter's changes since her little trip to Geo lately? Isn't she acting a bit strange?" asked Mei Mei.  
  
Jenifer answered, "I don't really know. I'm just happy to see her being more active lately. But, you're right, it is strange. Maybe I should talk to her.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Gourry arrived at the house first. When they got upstairs, they saw Mark and Rachel talking. Mark asked the girl if she was really Rachel.  
  
"You gave me that name, didn't you?" asked Rachel, "As long as you call me by that name, I will always be Rachel."  
  
Just then Jennifer arrived. "What do you mean by that?" she inquired.  
  
Rachel replied, "You see, we traded bodies at the Academy of Magic in Geo. Rachel is going to stay there and study, while I live here with you and keep you company."  
  
Just then, Mark began to talk to himself, as if he was having a vision of some sort. Apparently, one of the things Rachel had learned at the academy was telepathy. With that, she could appear to someone by projecting a certain image - - in her case, a blue jiggly - - into his or her mind. Then, she could converse with the person as if they were next to her.  
  
Suddenly, Teapo came running up the stairs crying about Rachel making her into a bomb. "I'm sorry Mark, I'll let it blow meself up so it doesn't hurt you or destroy the house." She dropped some cylinders of rocket powder to the ground and covered them.  
  
"Wait!" exclaimed Jennifer, "This isn't for a bomb. The powder here is for a rocket. You remember telling Rachel how you wanted to go into space when she was younger? Apparently, she's remembered this, and wants to help."  
  
"Rachel loves me. I should have realized it before. All I do is make her miserable with my actions," he whispered.  
  
Lina had no time to listen to his lamenting. It wasn't even an interesting one. She and Gourry decided to go home, and - - as usual - - eat up a storm.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, mystery solved: Check. Finished the story: I'll get on it. 


	61. Forest Excavation

Forest Excavation  
  
Lina and Gourry decided to go to Domina the next day to have a nice meal at the bar. But when they arrived, they saw a Dudbear running towards the church. Since the Dudbears rarely left the mines, Lina decided to follow and see what was going on.  
  
Inside the church, they saw Roger, Putty and a large congregation of Dudbears hanging around. They were pouring over maps they had brought with them from the mines. On closer inspection, Lina saw that they were of the White Forest.  
  
"This abandoned building is just perfect for the above ground chapter of the Diggers," Roger stated, "Now all we need is some more manpower for our expedition into the White Forest. Would you like to come along?"  
  
"No thank you, I'm not good with this kind of work," Lina commented.  
  
Suddenly, a pair of Dudbears ran into the church, carrying Diddle. They told Roger that they had found someone who would help them in their little treasure hunt. Hearing this, the man's smile brightened. He called, "Then let us be off to find the treasure."  
  
Lina watched them leave, formulating a plan of her own. "Let's go follow them Gourry. If I had known this was a treasure hunt, I would have been more than happy to help them out. But since they tried to hide it from me, I'll just go and find it myself." Then, she walked out the door, dragging Gourry along for the ride.  
  
* * *  
  
In the forest, they saw Dudbears trying to keep them from advancing and finding Roger. Lina sighed and knocked them out. Then she and Gourry were free to pass.  
  
"Lina," Gourry wondered, "Why didn't you just Fireball them?"  
  
"Simple, I don't want to waste my strength in case I have to use my magic for something bigger later on. Now let's go," she ordered.  
  
Further on, they ran into Capella. Apparently, he had followed the Diggers too, in hopes of rescuing Diddle. But he didn't stop to talk to Lina and Gourry. Capella just took one look at the path, and ran down it, only to be dragged out by Dudbears.  
  
Lina sighed. She thought, 'He'd better learn to fight a little, or else he's gonna get killed if he keeps following Diddle to such places. I mean, they were only Dudbears, what if he ran into a Chimera Beast, or a Land Dragon?'  
  
She and Gourry kept up their pace - - knocking out Dudbears at every turn. They soon came across a clearing in the woods. Roger, Diddle and a group of four Dudbears were standing around, making preparations for the dig.  
  
Roger told his men, "Here is the plan. Dudbears, help me dig a huge hole in the ground to look for the treasure. Sir Diddle can put any monster to sleep if it comes to it, so don't fair. Just remember, you can only attain true salvation through labor."  
  
Lina sweatdropped as he spoke. 'Well, I was right. This guy is officially off his rocker. Why do I have to deal with the wierdoes all the time?'  
  
After Roger and the Dudbears ran towards the back of the clearing, Capella ran in and started to chide Diddle for running off. When the musician told his friend he was helping out the Diggers, Cappella freaked. "You're helping THEM out!" he exclaimed, "Don't you know they're real baddies?"  
  
Just then Roger came running in. "Who are you, and what are you doing here? Are you here to interrupt our work?" he asked.  
  
Diddle said, "Capella, these people aren't bad. They're really nice."  
  
Roger nodded. "Yes, no one is truly evil. Just because your views are different from another person's, that doesn't make them evil."  
  
'He should have been there for Kronos, Rimsala, and Evans,' thought Lina, 'I bet he'd be singing a different tune then.'  
  
Suddenly, the Dudbears all ran up to them, yelling about something Lina couldn't understand. But all of their yelling did make sense, something was wrong. In fact, they had seen a monster, and were afraid of it eating them.  
  
At once, Roger ran off with Capella, Diddle and the Dudbears close behind. That left Lina and Gourry to destroy it. Lina walked forward, to see what appeared to be a Chimera Beast. It was actually a Chimera Lord, leader of the Chimera Beasts.  
  
Lina took the threat seriously. She walked right up to it, and threw a Fireball. But the beast just shrugged it off, and tried to knock her over with its claw. Seeing the attack coming, Lina managed to Levitate out of harm's reach.  
  
"This thing's pretty strong. Gourry get out of the way, I'm going to get it with my Blast Bomb," she yelled. With that, Gourry cleared the area as Lina landed on a high tree. As the beast tried to climb up to kill her, she charged up her Demon's Blood Talismans. Then, she called forth the Blast Bomb, and blew the monster to pieces.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina and Gourry found Diddle and Capella in a clearing, talking about the excavation. Diddle was happy to have helped out, while Capella still didn't trust the Diggers. They debated for some time, before walking away back to Domina.  
  
Lina asked, "Hey Gourry, wanna go on another treasure hunt?"  
  
Gourry looked at his beloved. "Whatever you want to do Lina. I don't care what we do, as long as we're together."  
  
Lina blushed at his comment. But he did have a point there. So they both headed out to the S.S. Buccaneer to hunt with the pirates.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we're spending a few episodes on some treasure hunts with pirates next. Meaning, we get to travel around in a ship for awhile. Nothing much said there. 


	62. Haunted Ship

Haunted Ship  
  
On the ship, they found the pirates all in a flutter over three legendary treasure jewels. One was Diamond of Mikev. The second was the Fairy's Sapphire. Finally, they had heard about the Mandora Topaz. Tusk had decided to look for them, and was looking for help.  
  
Lina and Gourry wasted no time heading to the captain's cabin. There, they found Tusk conversing with his first mate. "Hey captain," she said, "Gourry and I are willing to help you out with your treasure hunt. Just promise to give us a little reward for our troubles."  
  
"Whatever you want mateys. Jes talk to the helmsman about heading for Mikev. His name's Ramtiger, an' he'll take ye wherever ye want to go," Tusk repled.  
  
So they went to the room where the stearing wheel was held. There, they found a penguin steering the ship. Lina called, "Hey, the captain wants you to go and search for the Diamond of Mikev. Let's get going."  
  
Ramtiger looked at her. He wondered who she was, and why the captain was sending her as a messenger. 'Better just get going, or he'll yell at me for lazing off.'  
  
So he began to head for the Mikev caverns. But halfway there, the ship suddenly stopped. Ramtiger began to wonder what was gong on.  
  
Lina decided to look for herself. She went outside on the top deck, only to find that the wind had completely stopped. Figuring it would be some time before the wind picked up again, Lina decided to cast Diem Wing to help the ship move.  
  
Suddenly, a penguin who was fishing caught a bottle on the end of his line. When he opened it, a chill entered the air. A ghost came out of the bottle, and the penguin fell asleep. It then flew off to other parts of the ship to find new victims.  
  
Lina wasted no time running after it. She wanted to get to the ghost before it caused any serious harm, and ruined her treasure hunt. Hot on the trail, the duo ran into the cabin. There, they found a group of penguins lying unconscious.  
  
"It's definitely the ghost's work," Lina said, "We better find it before it causes any more mischief, or sinks the ship."  
  
After chasing it around for about a half hour, they finally cornered it in the bottom hold. But it flew right past Gourry, putting him to sleep. Try as she might, Lina was unable to wake her companion as he snored on the deck floor.  
  
"That's it, now it's personal! No one messes with me and gets away with it. That ghost's gonna get it when I find it," she yelled. Then Lina engaged in the daunting task of carrying Gourry up the stairs to find the ghost.  
  
Finally, she cornered it again on the top deck. It told her, "You foolish humans. I will never be beaten by your silly tricks."  
  
Lina Fireballed the ghost. But the spell just went right through its misty form, and fell into the ocean. "I guess I have to try something bigger."  
  
"Nothing can beat me," the ghost boomed, "I am the all powerful Orc, ghost of the greatest general who ever lived. Nothing can harm me."  
  
"Sure, and I'm the Knight of Cephied," Lina retorted.  
  
The ghost asked, "What in the name of the Goddess is a Knight of Cephied anyway? It must be something that came to be after my sealing."  
  
Lina facefaulted. "I was being sarcastic you stupid ghost. My sister Luna is the Knight of Cephied. And for your information, it comes from another world."  
  
The ghost looked at Lina. He then shot a beam of pure darkness at the sorceress. But Lina effortlessly dodged the attack.  
  
She called, "If that's the best you can do, then don't bother trying again. I could just blast you with one blow. In fact, I'll show you right now. Prepare for your death." Then, she cast Elmekia Lance on Orc, killing it instantly.  
  
* * *  
  
Lina walked right over to her sleeping companion. While she had seen the pirates wake up the second the ghost was killed, he continued to sleep. She tried to shake him awake. When that didn't work, she resorted to Fireballing him.  
  
Gourry woke up with a start. "I'm up Lina, I'm up. What time is it anyway? How long have I been sleeping? And why was I sleeping anyway?"  
  
"You were put to sleep by a ghost stupid," Lina yelled, "How could you forget that? Let's get going to see what's going on."  
  
They went to the captain's cabin. Tusk and his first mate were both just waking up from their sleep. The both of them were clearly still groggy from the ordeal.  
  
"Ye did good matey. Ye truly are a Man of the Sea," Tusk commented.  
  
The first mate called, "Capt'n, it's a girl."  
  
Tusk shot him a death glare. "Don't talk back to me, ye fool. Now, here's your reward for getting rid of the ghost. He handed her a large bag of gold.  
  
That night, the duo went to sleep in the crew's quarters. Lina went to lay on the floor, intending to give Gourry the bed. But just like the night they met Rezo, Gourry refused to sleep on the bed while she was on the floor, so they both ended up on the floor. Soon, they both drifted off to sleep.  
  
- - - -  
  
Originally, the prize was a crab, but I thing the captain is a little smarter not to get on Lina's last nerve. Well, we now have to find the three treasures. A daunting task, but it'll be fun. 


	63. Diamond of Mikev

Diamond of Mikev  
  
The next day, Lina and Gourry awoke when the ship swerved to avoid hitting a whale. They were thrown against the wall, with a dazed Gourry on top. It took a few minutes for Lina to gather up the strength to throw him off of her.  
  
"This is just great," she muttered, "Things like this mean that the day is going to turn out for the worst." She and Gourry then went to the mess hall to eat.  
  
When Lina and Gourry were only halfway done with the meal, a penguin came running into the mess hall, looking for them. "Excuse me Lina, Gourry. The Capt'n wants to have a word with ye about the mission," he said.  
  
Lina and Gourry went to the captain's cabin. There, they saw Tusk and his first mate looking out the window. Ahead of them was the Mikev Caverns.  
  
Tusk told them, "We've arrived mateys. We'll need yer help if we're to find the Diamond of Mikev. Will ye be willing to go with the penguins on the excavation.  
  
Lina looked at the cavern ahead of her. Although she'd never gone and Gourry couldn't remember what he did there, it didn't look like either of them would get lost. "Sure we'll go. Just be sure to pay us when you're finished."  
  
"That's the spirit," Tusk exclaimed, "Ye have what it takes to be a man of the sea."  
  
"Capt'n. . .it's a girl," commented his first mate.  
  
* * *  
  
Once there, they found something they didn't quite want to see. The Diggers had heard about the diamond as well, and were already searching the caves. Not only that, Roger had managed to find a treasure map to aid them.  
  
Tusk ordered, "All of ye better go and find that diamond before those dirty Dudbears do. Aye, things were so simple before they came around."  
  
Afraid of facing the captain's wrath, the penguins ran off to find the treasure. Lina and Gourry ran in the opposite direction, hoping to cover more ground. Some time later, they saw the treasure map discarded on the floor.  
  
"Gourry, let's grab the map and find the treasure. It's kind of convenient that they dropped it here like this." With that, Lina reached out to grab the map.  
  
"Dub," called a loud voice from behind. Suddenly, a group of Dudbears came in and grabbed the other side of the map. As the two groups fought, the map ripped in two. Noticing Lina charging up a Fireball, the Dudbears fled.  
  
"Come back here you stuffed freaks," yelled Lina, "When I get my hands on you, you're gonna pay for destroying that map. Let's go Gourry."  
  
Lina grabbed her friend's collar, and ran off in the same direction. Not to long later, they came to Du'Inke's lair. There, they found the group of Dudbears huddled in a corner.  
  
Lina said, "It serves you right. Now, give me the map or you're all going to be spending the next year in the toy repair shop."  
  
Now Dudbears aren't as stupid as they look. Lina's smirk and tone told them all they needed to know. They gave her the map, and ran as fast as they could.  
  
Lina put the two pieces together and began to study it. "Gourry, the treasure is right here in this room. Let's get digging." She handed him one of the shovels that Tusk had lent them, and they began to dig all over the cavern.  
  
* * *  
  
About an hour later, the cavern was filled with holes. But no treasure had been found in any of them. Lina was getting frustrated, when her shovel hit metal.  
  
"Gourry!" she exclaimed, "I've found it!"  
  
They worked together and soon managed to pull the box to the surface. Then Lina used her shovel to pry the lid off of it. Inside was a huge diamond.  
  
"Let's get back to the ship and show this to the captain," Lina said.  
  
* * *  
  
Tusk was happy to see them when they returned. Not only had they found the treasure, but they had managed to show up the Diggers as well. A large smile spread across his face as he handed Lina her reward of gold.  
  
He told the young sorceress, "Another job well done matey. Ye have got what it takes to be a real man of the sea."  
  
The first mate rolled his eyes at his Capt'n again. "Capt'n. . . it's a girl."  
  
"Shut up," Tusk roared, "Now where was I? Oh yes, how about we head fer the Fairy's Sapphire next. It's hidden by the fairies in the Fieg Snowfields."  
  
"The 'Fairy Treasure'. Hmmmm. . . sounds interesting. That does sound like a good place to go to next," Lina commented.  
  
Tusk yelled, "Then, let's be off."  
  
- - - -  
  
Originally, the map was split into many parts for you to find, but I thought this would be funnier. Let's see.remember to Fireball Tusk before this is over when he keeps calling Lina a man. 


	64. Trickster Fairies

Trickster Fairies  
  
"Ramtiger," called Lina, "The captain wants you to head for the Fieg Snowfields to look for the Fairy's Sapphire. Let's get going.  
  
"Say no more. I'll have us there before you can say 'She sells sea shells by the seashore' five times fast," he replied.  
  
As Gourry attempted to confirm this, Lina looked out the window. She could see the sea flowing before her like a beautiful jewel. Finally, when Gourry finished saying the tongue twister, she dragged him on the deck to get a better view.  
  
Lina asked, "Hey Gourry, why don't we have our wedding when we get back from this little sea voyage. We'll certainly have enough Lucre to pay for it, if the captain continues to pay us in this manner. This is the most profitable excursion we've been on to date."  
  
Gourry nodded his head. "Lina, I hope we'll be able to find our way back home soon. I kind of miss the others."  
  
Lina thought about Gourry's words. She did kind of miss the others too. Even Amelia's justice speeches or Xellos's endless repetition of "Sore wa himitsu desu" would be welcome to her at the moment. If anything, they'd remind her of home.  
  
Just then, they arrived at the snowfields. Lina and Gourry ran into the captain's cabin to see what was going on. They found Tusk trying to way their options.  
  
"This cold is going to be harsh," he told them, "Are ye still up for the challenge of this quest, or do you want to wait here."  
  
"I'll go, nothing else to do," Lina replied.  
  
Tusk said, "Very good matey. Ye have what it takes to be a man of the sea."  
  
Again, the mate sighed. "Capt'n. . .it's a girl."  
  
* * *  
  
Once in the snowfields, the penguins began to shiver. Apparently, it was too cold for them. Every pirate in the group ran back to the ship.  
  
"I thought penguins liked the cold," Lina stated, "And they call themselves pirates. Dang, what wimps. I guess it's up to us Gourry."  
  
"Lead on Lina," Gourry said.  
  
Some time later, they came across a group of fairies. They were sitting in a circle and laughing. When they noticed Lina, their faces began to smirk.  
  
Lina asked a fairy, "Excuse me, do you know where the Fairy's Sapphire is?"  
  
All of them began to laugh. One of them flew foreword to address Lina. "Do you really want to know, human girl?"  
  
"Sure," Lina answered, "Where is it."  
  
"Sore wa himitsu desu," the fairy replied, even wiggling her forefinger like Xellos.  
  
Lina hit her forehead. She thought, 'Scratch Xellos being a welcome sight. Maybe I should Fireball him for somehow getting these fairies to act like him, even though there's no possible way he could come here to do it. It'd at least relieve some of my frustrations."  
  
The fairy looked at Lina. "Sorry, couldn't resist. Well, you will have to go to the Garden of Icicle Flowers beyond the Field of Lost Guilt. The fairies there will give it to you."  
  
So Lina and Gourry went there instantly. But they didn't see any fairies. The only thing there was a huge sapphire sitting on a rock.  
  
"That must be it!" she exclaimed, "Let's get it and go."  
  
But the second Lina touched the sapphire, it vanished. Suddenly, a net snagged them, and hung them up in the air. The fairies appeared and began to taunt them. They were so into their little laugh, they didn't notice it when Lina charged up a Fireball and charred them. The net caught fire from the blast, and the duo fell to the ground.  
  
"Now I'll ask you nicely one more time. Where is the Fairy's Sapphire? If you tell me, you can fly away with only those minor wounds. But if you A) lie to me B) trick me or C) refuse to tell me, I'll blast you with a spell powerful enough to knock you 500 years into the future. Geeze, and I thought Xellos loved to play tricks on me," Lina commented.  
  
The fairies were nervous. None of them wanted to face Lina's wrath. So they pulled the Sapphire out of its hiding place in another dimension, and handed it to the young sorceress. Then, the fairies vanished into thin air.  
  
* * *  
  
Back on the ship, Tusk handed Lina another bag of gold. She was going to have an awful lot to sell when this was over. Dollar signs appeared in Lina's eyes.  
  
Tusk told her, "Ye did well against those tricky fairies matey. Ye've got what it takes to be a true man of the sea."  
  
His first mate looked at the ceiling, counting to ten. "Capt'n. . .it's a girl."  
  
"The only one left is the Mandora Topaz," commented Tusk, "We better get going before something else goes wrong."  
  
"Whatever. As long as I get paid, I don't care what we do," Lina replied.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, one more jewel to go. Originally, in this quest, you had to find a certain fairy. I just thought a few tricksters would be funnier. 


	65. Coins, Jars, & Shells

Coins, Jars, & Shells  
  
"Yer back little lady," Ramtiger stated, "Where does the Capt'n want us to head fer this time? A tower filled with gold? Or maybe a magical ruin?"  
  
"Neither, he wants us to head for the Mandora Beach to search for the Mandora Topaz. With that, we'll have all three treasures," Lina told him.  
  
Ramtiger replied, "Well then, let's get going. We'll be there in two shakes of a Sea Hag's tail." He turned the ship in the direction of the beach.  
  
Gourry looked blankly at Lina. "Hey Lina, do Sea Hags actually have tails? I don't think those two friends of yours did. And how can we get there faster than they can shake them? Do their tails just move so slow?"  
  
Lina glared at Gourry. "It's just a figure of speech," she informed him, "It basically means that we'll go there without delay."  
  
Lina decided to have a snack before they arrived at their destination. So they went to the mess hall to prepare it. All of the penguins stared at how much food they could pack away. They were especially shocked to learn it was only a light snack."  
  
"Ye'd think that wench's stomach would burst with how much she packs away," one penguin whispered to his friend. But he was overheard, and Fireballed.  
  
Just then, a messenger came running in to bring Lina and Gourry to the captain's cabin. As usual they went right away. But this time, Lina brought along her snack to keep her occupied.  
  
When they arrived, Tusk said, "We're right near the Mandora Beach matey's. But I can see a mining cart belonging to the Diggers left on the shore. Knowing this, do ye still want to head there to find the treasure?"  
  
Lina gave him a look. "Do I ever give up. I just find the competition to make the hunt a little more fun. That and the fact that I can Fireball them if it comes to it."  
  
"That's the spirit matey," Tusk exclaimed, "Ye've got what it takes to be a man of the sea." "Capt'n. . .it's a girl," commented his mate.  
  
Tusk stated, "Now Dudbears love shiny things more than anything else in the world. Take these 15 Halo Coins to use fer bait."  
  
* * *  
  
On the beach, Lina and Gourry came across a line of Dudbears guarding the place. She picked up a Halo Coin, and handed it to the Dudbear in the center of the line. He began to thank her happily, and then they all ran off.  
  
Lina watched as they ran away. "That was too easy. Maybe I won't have to give the old magic some exercise anyway."  
  
They traveled in the direction the Dudbears had gone. Some time later, the duo entered a cave. Dudbears were all around, digging for the Topaz.  
  
One walked up to Lina, and held up a bottle. He pointed to the Halo Coins in Lina's bag, and began to speak excitedly. Lina got the gist of it, he wanted to trade.  
  
"Sure thing," she said, "I don't know what these bottles are for, but I guess I'll give you some coins. Three coins for three bottles."  
  
The Dudbear nodded. "Dub," he said. He then took the three coins in her hand, and gave her a net with three L'il Bottles in it.  
  
As they approached the Dudbear at the exit, he pointed to the bottle bag. Lina figured he'd move out of the way if she parted with one of the bottles the other bear had traded her. So she gave him a bottle, and sure enough he walked away.  
  
Lina told Gourry, "We should be there soon. Let's get going."  
  
After a long walk, they came across another group of Dudbears. One of them walked up to Lina and held up a pink Pucashell. He then pointed to the remaining two bottles.  
  
Lina smiled at him. "I guess all you Dudbears are businessmen. Fine, I'll give you these two bottles in return for two of your shells."  
  
When the trade was made, Lina and Gourry headed for the exit. There, they found another Dudbear guarding it. He pointed to the Pucashell and began to cry out. Again, Lina decided to trade the shell for passage to the next area of the beach.  
  
"This is getting repetitive," she groaned, "I hope we finish this soon."  
  
Finally, they arrived at another cave. Here, another Dudbear wanted a Pucashell in return for allowing them to pass through. Lina handed it over without question, and she and Gourry headed onwards to find the Topaz.  
  
On a rock, Lina saw the Topaz. But when she reached for it, she heard the sound of running. Suddenly, in ran Roger and a group of Dudbears.  
  
"You, why have you come to steal our treasure?" he inquired.  
  
Lina answered, "It's a free world. Oh, I almost forgot, thanks for the help Dudbears. Here, take these 11 Halo Coins as a reward."  
  
With that, she threw the remaining coins at the Dudbears. In their excitement, they grabbed them all. Then they ran off in jubilation with Roger in their arms.  
  
Lina sweatdropped. "I didn't expect it to go that well."  
  
* * *  
  
"Well done matey," Tusk said, handing her some gold, "Ye've managed to find all three of the treasures. Ye really have what it takes to be a man of the sea."  
  
But before the mate could but in and remind his captain, Tusk got Fireballed. "What was that fer matey?" he asked.  
  
Lina yelled, "In case you haven't noticed, I am a girl. Let's get going Gourry. We have gold to sell and a wedding to plan."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we've finished the treasure hunting. Now all that's left is a wedding and an ending. 


	66. Another Night, Another Dream

Another Night Another Dream  
  
When they arrived home, Lina and Gourry saw three Sproutlings surrounding a fourth, who had fallen. Lina ran to the fallen creature and began to cast Recovery on him, hoping to heal his wound. But nothing happened.  
  
"Do not worry," a Sproutling told her, "He's going to the spiritual dimension where the Mana Goddess sleeps within the Mana Tree."  
  
"Why's he going there?" Lina asked.  
  
Another Sproutling answered, "You see, if enough of us gather in the spiritual dimension, the Mana Tree will revive in this dimension. Then, the Goddess will return to the world to bring a blessing to us all. That's what the poet Pokiehl said."  
  
Lina's eyes went wide. "About how much longer until this tree revives? You see, we have to meet with the Goddess to return to our own world."  
  
"Not much longer," the third replied, "He'll most likely be the last one needed to bring it here, and then we just have to wait for it to make the transfer. Once that is finished, we'll all be called to give our powers to its revival."  
  
"Is there anything we can do?" inquired Lina.  
  
The injured Sproutling told her, "Nope. I'll be just fine. You two just concentrate on that wedding you are planning. I'll see you in a few days at the tree."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the duo found the yard in dismay. Somehow, during the night, someone had come and kidnapped the Sproutling who would become the Mana Tree. He was being held prisoner in a cage of dreams, and the entrance was in Lina's workshop.  
  
Lina began to fume. "No one messes with my way home and gets away with it. I'm going to give this guy a piece of my mind. . .and a Fireball."  
  
She grabbed Gourry and dragged him to the workshops. Lina opened the door and prepared for a Fireball. Inside, she found Nunuzac arguing with Belle the Dream Witch who had helped them get into Salah's dreams.  
  
"Help me," Belle begged, "This man has imprisoned a Sproutling in a dream cage. He was supposed to go to the spiritual dimension to become the Mana Tree."  
  
"I'm adverting a potential disaster. Has mankind ever used the Tree's power for a noble purpose? No, they just destroy with it," Nunuzac replied.  
  
Belle yelled, "It's still not right to trap him."  
  
Just then Pokiehl entered the room. "The time has come for the Sproutling Nunuzac. You must release him."  
  
"Do Wisdoms prefer war over peace?" wondered Nunuzac, "You know villains like Deathbringer will just shed blood over a revived Mana Tree. We have proven that we can live without the tree's power, and we should stay that way."  
  
"It is not so much the power we need, but the symbol. Maybe we can live without the tree, but it makes us feel good when we see it. It is the same as with love. You do not need love, but it is something that makes us feel good," Pokiehl informed him.  
  
Lina smiled at that statement. She never really needed Gourry to protect her from the enemies they faced, she just felt happy to have him with her. It ensured that she would never be lonely, if something was wrong, she had a friend to talk to.  
  
Nunuzac yelled, "Still, I will not obey. If the war starts up again over the revived tree, I will have to teach my pupils about true conjugation."  
  
Pokiehl turned to leave. "Then I will pray for you. Even if you decided to destroy the world yourself, I will still pray."  
  
When he left, Nunuzac began to think about his decision. Suddenly, a black hole appeared in the air. It increased in power, and sucked Lina and Gourry inside.  
  
* * *  
  
Inside, they found an exact replica of the Mikev Caverns. The only difference was that all of the tones were in gray. The only things that were in color were Lina, Gourry, the monsters that inhabited the dream, and the treasure chests.  
  
After wandering for what seemed like centuries, they came across the downed Sproutling. Lina went over and found out that he was uninjured. She then proceeded to help him to his feet so she could take him back home.  
  
"Thank you," the Sproutling said, "Without you I wouldn't have been able to rise to the spiritual dimension to heal the Mana Tree. Goodbye, my friends." Then, he vanished in a flash of light. When it cleared, Lina found herself back in the lab with Gourry. Both Nunuzac and Belle had left, since the dispute had been resolved.  
  
Suddenly, a voice began to speak directly to Lina's mind. "Most impressive. I can see why L-Sama would use you as her vessel to destroy Phibrizzio. You have clarity of mind and strength in body. Come to the Mana Tree when you have the time. I'll be waiting for you."  
  
Lina knew instantly that it had to be the Mana Goddess who spoke to her. It was the only logical choice after all. She then decided that she had put off her breakfast long enough. So the Sorceress Supreme and Genius Swordsman went to the kitchen to plan their next move.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, the first part of the end is over. Originally, this part was played right after finishing either the Jumi, Dragon, or Fairy quest. But I decided to move it back to make it fit the story a bit better. Wedding time next chapter, and then the ending. 


	67. The Wedding

The Wedding  
  
A few days later, Lina and Gourry gathered with their friends at Domina's church. It was a nice sunny day, the perfect atmosphere to hold a wedding in. Leon and Rooks were going to be ushers, Rutee and Teefa were going to be the bridesmaids, and Jerin and Jared were to be the flower girl and ring bearer. As expected, Nuevelle was the preacher.  
  
Everyone watched in awe as Lina ascended to the alter on the arm of Gourry. There were tears in they eyes of a few of the more sensitive members of the audience. As she arrived at the alter, the young sorceress gave her beloved a small smile.  
  
"In the name of the Goddess, we are gathered here to join this man and woman in holy matrimony," Nuevelle began, "May her benevolent hand guide them as they search out their future together in this uncertain world of ours."  
  
"May the Goddess bless," everyone in the church echoed.  
  
Nuevelle continued, "Do you, Gourry Gabriev, promise to love this woman, Lina Inverse, for the rest of your life? In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"  
  
Gourry looked blankly, he had forgotten what to do. Lina just sighed, and whispered the words in his ear. "Oh, that's right! Thanks Lina. I do."  
  
"And do you, Lina Inverse, promise to love this man, Gourry Gabriev, for the rest of your life?" inquired Nuevelle, "In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"  
  
"I do," replied Lina.  
  
Nuevelle motioned for Jared, who handed him the rings. He then gave them to the two, who placed them on each other's fingers. The priest then exclaimed, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."  
  
Gourry put his arms around Lina's slim waist, as she put hers around his neck. Then, he put his lips to hers, and gave his beloved a kiss. Lina was more than happy to oblige him, she'd waited a long time for this moment.  
  
When that was over, they began to walk out. Everyone began to throw bird seed - - courtesy of Gobi - - in the air like confetti. They then went to the field in West Domina, where the reception was going to be held - - on account of it being the biggest place around.  
  
* * *  
  
There, they found a huge feast waiting for them. It was so huge, that there would be enough for Lina and Gourry, and the other guests would still be able to get a decent size meal. That's where Lina had put all of the money they had earned from their little treasure hunt with the pirates, into the caterers. After all, it wouldn't be a wedding without a feast.  
  
As she looked around, Lina saw Rooks and Teefa drinking a milkshake with two straws in the glass. Just then, a monster wandered onto the grounds and began to bite Rooks's ankle. Teefa - - in a rare moment of anger - - lost her temper, transformed into Tefoneus, and killed it. Then she changed back and continued eating. But not many people were very hungry after that incident. All Lina was thinking was that there'd be more food for her to take home in a doggie bag when it was over. Heck, a person could never have too much to eat.  
  
At another table, Leon and Rutee were getting into an argument over something that happened before the Kronos incident. They were practically bearing their fangs at each other - - literally. It took Atwight's spirit form to calm the siblings down.  
  
Lina could see Gobi trying to hit on Katt without success near yet another table. He finally gave up after getting hit in the head with a ninchaku. The young sorceress began to laugh at how pathetic the merchant was at romance.  
  
Near the entrance to the park, she spotted Jerin and Jared talking to Nina about a Siren's magical power. Dies and Mina were adding their own comments to the situation, while Gilbert serenaded the girls from his spot down by a tree. He was ignored.  
  
* * *  
  
After dinner had ended - - and the leftovers collected by Lina - - the unmarried women began to form a circle in the center of the park. Lina then got up on a chair, and tossed the bouquet in the air. At once, all of the women dived for it. In the end, Jerin came up triumphant, after Fireballing several people to get to it.  
  
Lina sweatdropped. 'And I thought that kid hadn't learned anything under my guidance.'  
  
"Lina?" Gourry asked, "What comes next?"  
  
"You take the girdle off my leg, and toss it to the unmarried men. The one who catches it is said to be the next to marry, " answered Lina.  
  
Gourry looked like he still didn't get it. But he proceeded to take the girdle anyway. He then stood up on the chair and tossed it, and fell to the ground in the process.  
  
All of the men ran for the girdle. It ended up landing on top of Gilbert, of all people. He then turned his eyes to the girls in the party.  
  
Lina began to laugh. "Heh, how lucky can you get?"  
  
Suddenly, a ominous black cloud blocked out the sun. Lightning began to crash, and people were afraid. The storm lasted only a few minutes. When it ended, a huge tree stood in some desolate land not far from Domina.  
  
"The Mana Tree," exclaimed Lina, "I guess we have to call the party on account of having to get our butts in gear and head for home."  
  
"Will you ever come back?" Jared asked.  
  
Lina told him, "Probably not. We're not even sure how we came to be here in the first place. But I know you can take care of yourselves. Promise me you'll take care of the pets and Golems for us. I'll never forget you guys and the adventures we had. Goodbye."  
  
The people gathered there then watched as the duo headed to the location of the tree - - still in their wedding clothes. Everyone there knew that they would eventually leave this world for their own. But they had hoped it wouldn't have come so soon.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, they're meeting with the Goddess next chapter. You'll see why they have come to this world then. 


	68. Divine Encounter

Divine Encounter  
  
Lina and Gourry were in such a hurry, they didn't stop home to pick up a pet for the journey. Not that they wanted to bring them anyway since all they were doing was going back home. Soon they arrived at the Mana Tree.  
  
Near the entrance, the duo saw Pokiehl. "The Mana Goddess is light and so she could not see herself," he said, "So she hid herself in the shadows. But with those shadows came the negative emotions in the heart of mankind. You should know that the Goddess is trapped between two forms, good and evil. Only you can save her." Then, he vanished.  
  
"Let's get going Gourry, we can't have the Goddess waiting for us to arrive. Besides, I'm in the mood for a lunch from our own world," she stated.  
  
They began to climb the branches of the tree. Along the way, monsters tried to cut their long journey to an end. But none of them were any match for the duo's sword skills-Lina was trying to save her magic for any surprises.  
  
Finally, they came to what appeared to be the archway of an old temple. Lina examined the carvings, and jumped back with a shock. "Gourry, come look at these! They're the same as the ones in the temple we came from."  
  
Gourry asked, "Hey, Lina how do you suppose the same symbols are on a temple in two different worlds? I mean, we came here by the power of their Goddess, and not a gate built by whomever made those ruins. So how are we related?"  
  
"Congratulations Gourry, you managed to ask an intelligent question for once," commented Lina, "But I don't know the answer either. I guess the only way we'll ever find out is to ask the Mana Goddess herself. Let's get going."  
  
In the temple, Lina saw what appeared to be a huge courtyard. It was divided into many circular courtyards with a fountain in the center of each. Some of them contained treasure chests, while others were filled with monsters. The monsters weren't that hard, it was just that there were so many of them, especially the higher level ones.  
  
"Lina, look out!" yelled Gourry. A Land Dragon was about to hit her from behind while she attacked the Kid Dragon he was with. Lina turned around, and dodged the attack, but was still scratched across her arm. She then countered with Demona Crystal, killing it.  
  
Gourry ripped a piece of his skirt off for Lina to use as a bandage. But she was way ahead of him, and using Recovery on the wound. Still, Lina took the bandage from Gourry's hand to wipe the sweat from her fevered brow.  
  
A voice was suddenly heard throughout the courtyard. "Well fought Lina Inverse. It is such an honor to have you in my humble home."  
  
Lina yelled, "You better show yourself now! I'm getting really annoyed with these little games you've had us playing."  
  
"But if we're not playing, where's the fun in it?" asked the Goddess, "You mortals are all the same, you don't know how to have fun."  
  
"How much fun would you be having if you were forced to run around doing errands for some divine being you've never met? Especially if it meant you had to leave your home and go to some world you'd never seen before?" Lina inquired.  
  
The Goddess let out a soft laugh. "I guess I wouldn't like it very much. But it's so much easier to get my vessels to do what I want if I don't let them ask questions. Usually they just refuse if I give them the option."  
  
Lina told her, "They all have a good reason for that. I swear, you masters of creation are all alike. All you do is play with us mortals and ask questions later."  
  
"What an impudent girl," the Goddess exclaimed, "It's a wonder that L- Sama was able to put up with you for all this time."  
  
"Come out here and say that to my face you coward," Lina yelled.  
  
Suddenly, the room began to disappear. Instead of a beautiful courtyard, Lina and Gourry found themselves in a barren void. They were then sent from the blackness into another courtyard, but this one was much different. It was devoid of bright colors and vegetation. Instead, it was a room with a full moon that shown down on a floor that reflected it like a mirror. Several shrubs were present, but not much else. It was quite a depressing room.  
  
Lina looked around. Just then, the voice of the Goddess rang out again. "I am the light. I am the darkness. Half of me is what you've fought in the past. The other half is what has protected you thus far. I am the essence of love. Fight me, brave heroes, fight me and defeat me. You will become a hero." Then, a strange woman appeared. She looked human in stature, but her face looked like that of an Iris. Leaves came out from her collar, her body was the exact replica of a plant's stem, and her arms and legs looked like roots.  
  
Lina exclaimed, "This is the best you can do?! Oh please, I've seen worse than this. Let's see.I've killed Shabranigdo, Zanafar, Phibrizzio, Dark Star, and do I have to continue? Prepare yourself for death. Let's go Gourry."  
  
The two charged her at once. Now Lina knew what she had saved her magic for. After opening a deep gash in the Goddess's shoulder with Dragon's Breath, she dropped back. Gourry continued to fight her hand to hand as Lina began to chant her Boost spell. Then she began to call on her most powerful spell. "Ragna Blade," she screamed, "Now you will be destroyed!" Lina charged at the Goddess, and got her in the heart with the Ragna Blade.  
  
- - - -  
  
What happened after Lina used Ragna Blade? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out. 


	69. Answers to Questions

Answers to Questions  
  
The Ragna Blade made contact with the Goddess's body, and a bright light lit up the whole room. Lina had to shield her eyes to keep from going blind. She then used a Balus Wall to guard her and Gourry from the blasts.  
  
When it cleared, they saw the Goddess kneeling before her. But she had changed. Instead of a plant-like humanoid, she was a beautiful woman. Her long golden hair flew down past her knees, and her sapphire eyes sparkled in the light. The dress on her body was a white sundress that was fastened with gold clips on her shoulders.  
  
"Thank you," she stated, "I am now free."  
  
"Free from what? You've got a lot of explaining to do lady. How dare you take Gourry and me and use us like chess pieces?" Lina demanded.  
  
The Goddess said, "I can see why my baby sister puts up with you. You're not willing to listen to any authority but your own. She had that same quality about her when she was younger."  
  
Now Lina was confused. "Sister?! You have a sister? And where is this sister of yours? She has some explaining to do then."  
  
"Why Lina, I'm sure you know her already," the Goddess informed her, "I mean, she did use your body that one time to fight the little upstart."  
  
"L-Sama is your sister!" exclaimed Lina.  
  
The Goddess nodded. She told Lina, "Yes. You see, when we were younger, I was always the favorite in the family. I had managed to create a world of my own and keep it in order for so long. L-Sama always wanted to outdo me, so she tried to create a race of beasts that would guard this world for eternity. But the beasts went out of control, and created a big mess for me to clean up. Ever since then, when I ask her to do something, she's never asked questions about helping me. Even with her own worlds to care for, since she thought making four would outdo my one."  
  
Lina began to think about how familiar this sounded. It was exactly how her relationship with her older sister was. No wonder she was favored by L-Sama.  
  
The Goddess noticed Lina's stares. "So it does sound familiar. Recently I asked her to find me some heroes who could help save my world. She then told me she'd found a girl that had strong powers and a similar family to our own. I never expected her to go to the length of lending her own power to the girl to defeat me in combat."  
  
"You should never underestimate your opponent," a voice stated, "I guess that's my way of getting my revenge from when we were younger. How about we call this little feud of ours a draw, sister dear?" Then, L-Sama appeared in the sanctuary.  
  
"Why in the heck did we have to go through all of that? Weren't all the things I did in my own world enough?" inquired Lina.  
  
L-Sama replied, "You don't argue with your sister. When she says jump, you jump or face her wrath. It's the same with mine. And who could I send instead of you? Zel wouldn't want to do anything but find his cure. Amelia can't really go out of Seyruun on her own, especially with coordination like hers. Nahga would just drink and laugh all day, scarring the citizens instead of helping them. Filia has her hands full with little Val. Sylphiel isn't good at anything except recovery magic, and she doesn't have a partner to help her. Martina and Zangulus. . .well, I think that speaks for itself. And I don't think there's anyone stupid enough with trusting Xellos to save the world without either A) trying to destroy it instead, as per his Mazoku nature or B) driving everyone crazy with his pranks."  
  
Lina sweatdropped as she thought of leaving any world in the hands of any of her friends and allies. No one could do as good a job as she could. She decided not to press it after that. Better not make the creator of her world mad.  
  
She looked Lina strait in the eyes. "Well anyway, thank you for your help. I kind of figured you'd come after a replacement for Gourry's Sword of Light. So I dropped the hints you found on the two swords by the herb so you would be sure to go on the quest."  
  
"Why do the ruins here and back by the swords have the same carvings on them?" asked Lina, "Did our people come from this world originally."  
  
"To tell you the truth, that was an ancient shrine dedicated to me. But it was destroyed in an earthquake caused by the Cephied-Shabranigdo feud. The swords were actually gifts from my sister after I created the world. I figured my vessel would love to have one of them, and give the other to her stupid companion," L-Sama told them.  
  
The Mana Goddess then said, "Well, it's time for you to head home now. But I'll never forget you for what you've done for me." Then, the world went blurry again, much like when they first had come to this world.  
  
* * *  
  
One month later.  
  
"So Miss Lina," Amelia asked, "How did you and Gourry ever get to that world?"  
  
"L-Sama's sister needed help. It wasn't really that bad. We did manage to get a lot of treasure along the way, taste some wonderful food, and we even got married," replied Lina. She showed the others her wedding ring.  
  
Sylphiel said, "Congratulations Miss Lina, Gourry dear." But a hint of sadness was detected in her voice because she hadn't been the one Gourry wanted.  
  
Xellos looked as if he wanted to play some kind of trick like steal the ring and drop it in the river. But then he noticed Filia glaring at him and gripping mace-sama in one hand-while feeding Val with the other. He decided to wait on this one, it'd be more fun to have Lina throw a bunch of Fireballs at him as he flew away.  
  
Zelgadis looked at Lina. "So what exactly did you guys find?"  
  
"That's right!" exclaimed Lina, "We have that curse charm from Watts. Zel, I think it might be able to cure your Chimeric state."  
  
"Well what are you waiting for? Give it to me," demanded Zelgadis.  
  
Lina reached in her pocket for the charm. Just then she noticed that there had been a hole in it, and the charm had fallen through. "Sorry Zel, I guess it went missing," Lina admitted.  
  
Zelgadis began to bawl uncontrollably at the thought of losing another chance at getting his cure. Down the table, Xellos began to laugh. 'I knew it would be funny if I cut that hole in Lina's pocket last night so she'd lose something. This turned out even better than I hoped.' Noticing the smirk in his eyes, Filia beaned him on the head with her mace.  
  
- - - -  
  
Little slapstick in the end for fun. I took much liberty with the ending, it wasn't like this at all. Well, I have to give you the obligatory thank you's for all the people who made this fic possible. First, to Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi for creating Slayers, without that there'd be no fic. Second, to the variety sites that got me into Slayers. Third, to Squaresoft for the basic plot for the fic, without my taking the liberties to add in some of Lina's usual humor. Fourth, to Namco, Hal, Capcom, and Taito for the characters I borrowed for the little quests. And finally, I'd like to thank the creators of Zoids, I got this idea because I named my LoM heroine after the main female of one of the series who's name is pronounced the same but spelled differently than Lina. 


End file.
